The Kid and the Rattlesnake
by Keltic 'Arrancar' Shadow-Star
Summary: The Rattlenake returns to Dirt to help with replacing the metal pipes that transport the local water supply, but Jake never expected for a turn of events that has him telling young Priscilla about his past, the past that comes back to haunt him. A past that involves hawks, changes in DNA strands, rattlesnakes and the legendary Billy the Kid. Human Characters, JakeXOC
1. Return of the Rattlesnake

**Alright, so everyone that knows who I am has probably seen that I haven't been updating in quite some time… this is why… I am working on the ninth chapter for this very fanfiction right now, so I'll be updating every week or so depending on how the other chapters are doing… yeah…**

**As always I don't own any of the original characters from the greatest movie ever, so here it is, my pride and joy….**

The Kid and the Rattlesnake

Chapter 1: Return of the Rattlesnake

"It's midnight" Rango said aloud, his five foot eight inch form standing outside of the Sheriff's office, just a yard or so away from the single road that stretched from one side of Dirt to the other. The males face hidden because of the dark night, the full moon overhead covered by the tinted ruby red clouds. The Sheriff was clad in his usual outfit; tan, almost sand colored slacks covered his pale white legs with matching riding boots, complete with silver spurs. His off-white shirt had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his skin having become nicely tanned from his many months in the desert, and his common brown vest was accented by the ever-present badge. The badge everyone knew he had earned.

Though Rango still had his outsider looks, his cowboy hat covered the reminder that he wasn't actually one of the town's people. The semi-curly emerald green hair he had came to town with had grown just slightly longer then his shoulders, enough so that he would pull part of it into a low tail, the shorter strands forced down by the hat on his head. His green-golden eyes still held the same sense of belonging that Rango felt since he faced against the former Mayor almost a year ago.

"He's late" Rango spoke again, his eyes turning to one of the two females that were sitting on the wooden bench in front of the large window to the office, revealing the small amount of light coming from the old building. The single adult of the two wore a dusty looking blue dress with light brown riding boots; her shoulder length hair framed her face in light brown-red curls that matched the desert sand after a rare flash-flood. The female's dark brown eyes were very ordinary in the town, but to the Sheriff they were pools of chocolate he loved more than anything.

"Probably just ran inta somethin'." Beans said as she stood from her previous spot and walked gracefully over to Rango's side.

"Most likely," the Sheriff chuckled, taking Bean's hand in his, the two having gotten married three months after the water had returned to Dirt. "What do ya think Priscilla?" The young girl looked up from her book, her short three foot seven inch figure more than an entire foot shorter then Beans, but like always she was wearing her school uniform, the short skirt hitting her knees matched her polo-shirt, both pieces of clothing catching the small amount of light from the stars because of their light grey color. Her school shoes matched her raven black hair which hung in two braids down her back, but despite her young age of eight, her golden-brown eyes gave off a very mature aura.

"P'haps he's not gonna show." The little female said, looking up at her Sheriff and guardian, the little girl's mother only coming to Dirt for her daughter's birthday, usually needing to do work across the highway. Many of the people in town said that the young girl looked only a tiny bit like her mother, and no one knew who the females father was, not ever Priscilla herself.

"I doubt that Priscilla" Beans said, "He gave Rango 'is word, 'e won't go back on it," the lady continued, looking at her husband as though she was telling him that more than the girl. The three remained silent for some time before the clouds moved away from the silvery moon, lighting the sand of the desert and metal of Rango's revolver in a blue-white glow, its rays lighting the path for a previously unseen rider.

"There 'e is." The Sheriff whispered, his right hand immediately moving to the gun on his belt out of habit as the horse took its first steps into town. Anyone who would have seen the man in that moment would have known to hide or run in the opposite direction, his entire being screamed dangerous. His black boots complete with glistening spurs, were just like his slacks. The belt that sat low on his hips held a single Cavalry M1873 revolver that the man never used, and his blood-red shirt was unbuttoned most of the way down revealing a muscular, tan chest and darker brown scales that resembled that of his namesake. Bullet-belts covered most of his lower torso and right shoulder, the ratty coloring matching the color of the sand on a hot summer day.

However there was one thing about him, even from a distance, that made the people of the town cower in fear, it wasn't the wavy dark brown hair that was just as untamable as the man himself, nor the midnight black hat that hid that scaled scar that ran down the middle of the males left eye. No, it was the blazing eyes that held a hellfire gaze, the dashing colors of purest gold and bloodiest of reds forever dancing around slit irises. The three Dirtonians remained quiet as the famous outlaw dismounted his horse, an old mare that he had since he was a young boy, yet she still worked just as hard, if not harder than she did back then.

"You came, brother." Rango half spoke, half chuckled the last word of his comment, his eyes catching the slight grin that hit the outlaws lips as he brushed his longer than average hair off his neck, his fingers grazing his most prized Gatling gun, which he had slung across his back. The silver weapon made to look more like a rifle then what any other Gatling gun in history, but everyone who had heard of the man's name knew that the weapon was better than any other model, and most likely the only of its kind.

"Yur still goin' on 'bout that?" the outlaw questioned, his deep voice able to send shivers down any woman's spine without trying, not that he did. The slight shuffle of tightening bandages around his wrists told Rango and Beans that the male had gotten into some trouble on his way into town, obviously covering any type of injury that he had received, and a small, but not unnoticeable limp plagued his right leg. Though Rango and Beans just chuckled at the males comment, both of them knowing better then to ask if he needed help because he would refuse anyway.

"It's good ta have ya back Jake."

"Heh," the outlaw snickered, his spurs making a soft clicking sound in the otherwise quiet night as Priscilla ran over to the man, immediately throwing her arms around the male in a hug as he lifted his star pupil into his arms, his eyes never leaving the other 'legend'. "S'good ta be back Rango."

…

Rango and Beans sat opposite of Jake at the small table in the Sheriff's office, the two locals drinking the town favorite of Cactus Juice while the outlaw stuck to his usual favored shots of whiskey, a cigarette in his right hand and a small grin on his lips as they talked, the 'Rattlesnake' not having been in the town since the Sheriff's wedding. Sure he did kind of 'crash it' so to speak, but no one openly complained. A small understanding having occurred somewhere after when Jake and Rango had faced off for the second time in front of the old – now deceased - Mayor. In payment for Rango saving his life, Jake had given his word not to take any lives while in town, unless necessary of course, but somewhere along that same line Priscilla had taken quite a shine to the outlaw, and he to her. Thus leading to the towns' largest controversy ever, Priscilla becoming Jake's first and, most likely, only pupil, the young girl freely learning everything he had to offer from his many years as an outlaw and hit-man.

The town itself had never truly gotten use to the idea that the famous killer wasn't actually going to hurt them, but some were rather fine with the idea. Wounded Bird and the bartender Buford especially, the deputy because, despite Jakes tendencies to want to shoot anything that moved out of instinct, he was a relatively calm person that got out of the way of the law enforcers whenever they were doing their jobs. Buford however loved having Jake hang around the bar, mostly because a single look from the hardened male would stop any bar fight mid-punch, and his abnormal liking of whisky and beer gave the bartender some extra variety in the usual schedule of Cactus Juice, Cactus Juice and more Cactus Juice.

Through the distractions Jake put out his cigarette as Priscilla entered the room, a little fact that absolutely no one spoke about when the outlaw was around. The brutal and bloody outlaw obviously had a soft spot for the young girl, her obsession with death and weapons having sparked Jake's interest the moment she had made herself known to him. And with a small smile on his lips, Jake kicked back a chair from the table so that the little girl could sit next to him, and so she did without a second thought, her legs slung over the edge of the chair as she looked at the Rattlesnake. Her golden-brown eyes easily catching the twinge of fatigued muscles, the darker than normal tone of skin under Jake's eyes, and the small coin sized bruise on the trigger-finger of the man's right hand.

"Thanks again fer helpin' Jake," Rango said, both he and the hit-man taking their hats off, the Sheriff's odd green colored locks falling neatly to each side of his face, while Jake's untamed, short hair flopped back into his eyes, the color matching that of a rattlesnakes scales exactly. Golden laced with ruby eyes rolled in annoyance as Jake gently blew his hair out of his face, a single strand returning back to its original spot just off center leaning into the left side of his nose. Priscilla snickering next to him as she watched Jake glare at the strand for a mere second before turning back to the Sheriff, an identical strand of black hair falling into her own face.

"Ya can stop thankin' meh Sheriff," Jake chuckled, leaning back in his chair, his shirt moving to reveal the scales along his chest and torso that made up a large snake coiling around Jake's entire midsection, the town's people knew of very few other places where Jake's skin had actually changed to scales besides the snake marking and the scar down his left eye, and nobody really wanted to ask if there were any other places anyway. All that people knew was that the scales appeared where Jake had previously been injured to a lethal degree, like when the old Mayor had sent a bullet through his leg or when the previous Sheriff had actually left a deep gash on his arm, the next time they saw the Rattlesnake the places were covered by sandy, diamond patterned scales.

"We're just thankful ya can help with fixin' de pipes." Beans said; her hand entwined with her husband's as the adults continued talking, but Priscilla was busy looking at a single small mark in Jakes snake 'tattoo'. The eye of the rattlesnake, conveniently located directly over the male heart, wasn't a lighter patch of scales as she had once though, but rather scar tissue from human skin, obviously it had never healed correctly or transferred into scales like the rest of the Rattlesnakes injuries had.

"Jake," her voice brought all of the adults attentions to her, but unlike any average kid her age who would shrink away, the young girl continued on with her sentence as if nothing had happened. "What's with the rattlesnake's eye?" Rango and Beans turned to the mark on Jake's chest in a second, their eyes catching what Pricilla had seen second earlier but Jake looked away from the others and out the large window a few feet to his right, no one able to see the sudden flash of pain that bolted faster than lightning through his sunset colored eyes just at the memory alone.

"T's a long story Priscilla." Jake said, turning his head back to look at the young female.

"Yur gonna be here fer a while," the female resorted, making the outlaw and the others chuckle at her adult-like attitude, the early morning sunrise just starting to light the sky, even though it would still be an hour or so before it would actually appear.

"You really wanna hear it, don't ya kid?" the Rattlesnake asked, downing another shot of whisky at the idea of telling his past to a young kid, but then again, Jake knew that it would probably do him some good to get his story out there. At a nod from Priscilla the outlaw sighed in mock defeat, "Alright, I'll tell ya," he paused, his right hand instinctively moving to his left wrist, rubbing a very old injury from long before he was known as Rattlesnake Jake, "But not tonight kiddo. Ih gotta deal with a pissed off town tomorrow."


	2. Town Meeting

**Hello everyone, I decided to put out the next three chapters, so were up to four now… hehehe… I won't write anything on the others, but here they are, hope everyone enjoys!**

Chapter 2: Town Meeting

When Rango walked into the old Mayors office at high noon the same day, he was extremely surprised to see that Jake was already sleeping in the far back corner away from the door, his legs kicked up onto the nearby table, black hat covering his eyes, fresh bandages on his wrists and his ever-present Gatling gun slung snuggly across one of his arms and the chair he was sleeping on. According to Beans, who had arrived almost an hour earlier, he had gotten there only a few minutes after she had, kicked his feet up onto the table and hadn't moved since. Though he did awaken when the Dirtonians started arriving, most giving him a wide berth and sitting closer to the door and the podium rather than be near the dangerous and unpredictable outlaw.

Wounded Bird however, upon seeing the Rattlesnake, struck up a conversation within seconds of sitting down at the same table. Despite the tension of Jake having shot him in the shoulder, the Native American knew that what Jake had done was pure instinct, born from years of needing to watch his back in fear of getting shot at. Jake had even apologized and helped him with his shoulder afterward and they had quickly become drinking buddies whenever the outlaw was in town. Buford had eventually joined the small group once he saw how well Jake handled in a bar-fight. The bartender had little difficulty controlling any situation around the saloon whenever the outlaw was in town, very few wanted to anger him, and even fewer wanted to get into a fight with him. Even if it didn't involve his dreaded and infamous Gatling gun.

It wasn't even a second after the three had gotten together that the whisky what brought out of nowhere. Rango believing that it was most likely Buford's doing, but not putting it past the other two to bring a bottle and a few shot glasses with them. The three easily slipped into their usual round of talking, taking a shot, laughing and then repeating, until Beans finally stood up on the make-shift podium almost five minutes later. The female smoothing her sky blue dress before looking around the crowd at the people who had gathered, the old members of the original posse, not including the few who were around the Rattlesnake, all gathered further toward the front, the females and the children in between the two groups, the mothers clearly knowing that Jake never took any females or kids life, and truthfully, they liked him better than some of the drunk idiots that rampaged the town every-other night.

"Alright now," Beans spoke, the chatter around the entire room immediately quieting down. "As yawl know, the pipes that run 'round the town are in need 'o fixing." The new mayor paused as she looked from town's person to town's person, "the Sheriff an' I have a plan, separatin' the workforce inta three groups to fix the spots that are the worst."

"Group one," Rangos said, his form coming to stand next to his wife, naming off himself and a few other individuals that nodded their heads in approval, he did the same with the second group who all seemed to sigh in relief that they were not working alongside the outlaw. "The last group," Rango said, maneuvering his hat slightly, obviously knowing the controversy to come, "Will consist a' Wounded Bird, Spoons, Eglin, Ambrose, Waffles, Buford and," the green haired man paused for a second, his eyes laying on the last man who's name had yet to be said, "Jake." The soft growl that sounded around the room was nothing less than what Jacob had expected, but after years of being hated and wanted for money the outlaw had gotten use to the glares, cussing, and even the gestures that were suddenly directed his way.

Sadly.

"Sheriff Rango," Spoons said, his form standing from his spot next to Eglin. his white hair and matching beard being the main components that defined the old miner. "Ih don' think that this is da best 'o ideas." Wounded Bird, Buford and Jake all groaned in unison, making quite a few of the kids in the room laugh and Beans chuckle slightly, easily covering it by simply clearing her throat. Spoons and the others however all turned to look at the three, their eyes landing on Jake, but their voices obviously directed toward the bartender and the native. "You got a problem with dat?" The two just shook their heads and Jake snorted, causing the kids to laugh again and Rango to start giggling as well. It was obvious that the Rattlesnake wasn't doing it on purpose, but it was still enough to make the females in the overly large office space to blush and hide their snickering behind their hands.

"Spoons, we are lucky dat Jake agreed ta help us," Beans spoke as sternly as she could, the outlaws' rather random comedic events within the meeting almost giving her hiccups. Though it was obvious her message got through, the old miner having sat back in his seat, his eyes glaring a hole into the side of Jake's head as Rango continued.

"Each team has a different area, one will be in the North-West, two the East, and three is in the South. Doc will be makin' rounds and stayin' with one group each day except in da event of an emergency." The Sheriff paused, looking around the room a small sigh escaped his lips, the members of team one and two leaving only team three in the large office. Rango knowing that from that moment on, the idea of Jake working within that same team would now be the main focus.

…

Jake left the mayor's office an hour afterward, most of the arguments now revolving around why he had been called in to help out and why he had to work with them. And truthfully, even an outlaw can only take so much shit before they would just need to leave and punch something. A brick wall for example. Jacob rubbed his knuckles, a dull throb still remaining from his last little stunt, thinking to himself that he was really stupid at times. Though the famous outlaw just shook his head to clear it as he entered the saloon after Buford; the two having been lucky enough to escape after the "cussing round" which was obviously led by Spoons and Eglin, apparently they didn't want '_that fucking rattlesnake bastard_' to work with them. Jake could only be thankful that Buford noticed that he had suddenly clenched the table a bit too hard and suggested that they leave and get some fresh air, the elder bartender like an older brother to the famous outlaw, easily looking out for him even if Jake didn't want him to.

"Ya wan't anything Jacob?" Buford asked as Jake rubbed one of his eyes, the single strand of light brown hair falling into his face as he did so, the bartender silently snickering as he turned away from the younger male. His memory finding the first time he had ever seen the male nine years prior, noticing just how much he had grown in the amount of time.

"Sure," Jake finally said, taking a seat on the counter top, receiving a small, but humor filled glare from the other.

"Ya haven't changed from dat first time ya were here have ya kid?" Said male chuckled as he lit a cigarette, his eyes half lidded as a small grin pulled on the corner of his lips.

"I have and ya 'no it."

Buford snorted and grabbed a bottle of the outlaws' usual drink of choice, beer. "In height an' talent with that gun a' yurs," Jake smiled at the small complement, "other den dat, ya haven't changed a bit." The outlaw laughed slightly as he looked toward the bartender, his form still sitting on the countertop as he stuck out his tongue at Buford. The two of them immediately bursting out in fits of laughter from Jacobs boy-ish act before said male jumped back to the wooden floor, his spurs clicking slightly as he landed. "Eight years and ya haven't changed a bit."

"I'll take dat as a complement." Jake chuckled as he walked over to a small table in the corner of the empty saloon.

"How old are ya now anyway?" Bufords question had Jake spinning around to walk backwards, his sharper than normal canine teeth biting at his bottom lip as he thought over the question.

"Just turned twenty-five."

"And ya ain't even married yet!" Buford teased, a smile pulling on his lips as he remembered the males old companion. "Ya waiting fer her ta come back?" Jakes eyes darkened at what Buford said, his head nodding once in answer to his question. "The two of ya were a good team Jacob, she'll come back fer ya."

"Who will come back?" The two males jumped at the sound of Priscilla's voice, Buford suddenly acting as though he had to get ready for a large crowd that would suddenly come running through the door while Jake awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, a small bit of red hinting on his cheeks.

"My old partner," Jake whispered, his eyes darting over to a table where Priscilla knew he usually sat, the young girl moving over to the higher chairs immediately and sitting down. Jake's expression went from one where he was a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar to a blank stare, a single eyebrow raising and a grin spreading over his lips as he looked at the young girl. "Yur exactly like her too,"

"Like who?" Priscilla asked again, the outlaw rolling his eyes and moving to sit next to the girl, throwing his cigarette in an ashtray in the process.

"Man, you really don't give up," the Rattlesnake chuckled, his eyes softening until Priscilla could visibly see the ruby red flames around the outer edges of his eyes fading into a soft golden-brown almost exactly like her own, the irises no longer slit like a blood-thirsty killers, but round like any average humans. "Well then," Jake said, one of his hands rubbing the back of his neck, the outlaw strangely oblivious to the sudden change that his eyes had undergone, "Where should ih start?"

"The beginnin'?" Priscilla half asked half said; her eyes still unable to believe what they had seen, but with every blink that she took, nothing changed.

Jake chuckled as he started to hear the group that had argued against working with him finally leave the old mayor's office. "Yeah, da beginnin' sounds good."


	3. Early Years

Chapter 3: Early Years

_I was born in New York City to the name of Jacob Dusk Ranger. My parents, Joshua and Christina worked in a university sponsored by a multi-millionaire named Sig Harrison, they were young as far as parents went, only in their twenties, but then again I was their only kid. I grew up alongside many other kids whose parents worked in the university. One went by the name of Jay Digger was my best friend even though he was a year older than me. He had blond hair and amber eyes, with a strong build like his father while I had the look of my father with the gentleness of my mother. A lot of people said that I looked exactly like my father, except my eyes, I had my mother's golden-brown eyes. My father, Joshua, was leader of a research team built around animal and human experimentation. They tested the ability to mutate the DNA of animals into humans, they worked with cats and dogs. That was how my mother died. A lab experiment gone wrong, the subjects went crazy and killed some of the employees, Christina was one of them. A few months later Jay disappeared too, he had been talking of running away for over a year by that point, but I didn't actually think he would. I never heard from him after that moment, I didn't know if he was alive and happy, or dead. _

_By then Pa figured it would be best if we moved. A small lab was set up farther west in a town called Nevaeh, the man who ran it did experiments with rattlesnake DNA and venom, using it in healing properties and antidotes. William McCarty. He lost his wife to a sickness three years before my mother died, leaving three kids. Two twin girls named Sasha and Kyra who were both four, and William Jr. who was six, a year younger than I was. So, after my father married again, to a lady named Cilia Heartnet, an English teacher, we moved into the desert. That's where I met her…_

I followed my father closely, even on my light golden horse, ignoring the welcoming shouts from the town locals as I huddled closer to my steed, almost hoping that I would blend into the soft fur that lay beneath my jeans. I heard my father shout to a few of the men and women, asking for directions politely before we moved on. I could hear them talking about how I looked so nice in my matching outfit, light blue jeans, brown long sleeved shirt and boots. The tan hat on my head not matching with my slightly darker hair, but I pretended not to notice, for my father's sake. Behind me Cilia was riding sidesaddle on her white horse, and my father was in the lead with his dark brown one, the hooves not making a sound over the uneven sand beneath them.

"Joshua," Celia spoke, her voice softer than my mother's was, but she was almost always correcting my grammar. She was wearing a light grey dress, with black riding boots and a matching shall around her shoulders, her dark brown hair tied in a high knot. Her form was much shorter than my mother was, in fact, though I was only seven I still reached her shoulder, but then again I was taller than average as well. My father was the tallest of all the workers in the city, an even six feet, though out here, he seemed almost average height.

"Yes?" My father responded, his sky blue eyes absolutely nothing like my own.

"Where will we be staying for now?"

"William has a guest house for use; he has it set up for us until we can build a home for ourselves." My father looked toward me, giving me a small wink of reassurance before he rode ahead, up the road toward one of the larger houses down the small stretch of gravel that was the main road. From the once large and grand homes I had grown up with in the city, this looked like a rundown shack, but then again I wouldn't open my mouth, I had always had my mother's sense of style, simple and small. I would always spend my time outside in a tree or camping with Jay before he disappeared. A pang of regret hit me as I remembered my closest friend, the small red bandana around my neck was once his, he had given it to me the first day we had met. I had scraped my wrist pretty badly, and he wrapped it for me.

"Jake," I looked up at the sound of my father calling for me, immediately seeing him walking up to my horse, a man behind him. I could only guess that it was William McCarty. His sun-streaked brown hair almost the exact color of my own, though his skin was tanned from the work he did outside and the climate he lived in. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a white shirt that had dots of dirt along the rolled up sleeves, black work boots slightly caked with dried dirt and a splatter of what looked like to be green liquid. Though his eyes were what caught me, a violet that I had never seen anyone in the city with. They were like the flowers that my mother use to plant when I was young, and the light gold speckles within them were reflected off the sand and the metal of my horses saddle.

"Jacob, this is Mr. McCarty. William, this is my son Jacob." Will chuckled, extending his hand for me to shake.

"Welcome to Nevaeh Jake," the other adult snickered again, his height just slightly taller than my father and much more muscular, yet he seemed so much friendlier.

"Thank you sir." Was all I said, my voice still extremely high pitched despite my taller and more developed look. I took Mr. McCarty's' hand a second later, shaking it before letting go and remaining silent like usual.

"Yur a strong lad," William spoke, a grin spreading over his face, "You and Billy would git 'long good," his accent wasn't as strong as I had predicted, though it still had me wondering if his kids were the same. "The twins 're in da back, Billy's in the barn with de horses an' snakes."

"You let the kids be near the snakes?" My father asked, a look of concern over his face making me pause.

"Just Billy," the other male laughed, "Hell, the kid got more talent with dem creatures then ih do, Jake will be fine." His words had my worries fade away, the spurs on by boots gently nudging my old horse forward toward the barn a dozen or so yards away. I could still hear my father and Mr. McCarty talking over the small thuds of my mares hooves as I entered the barn, the entire thing a soft shade of grey that looked darker than what it really was, rattlesnake cages sitting across from horse stalls, the horses not batting an eyelash and the snakes not responding to any sudden disturbance like I would have thought.

I found an empty stall easy enough, seeing as though there were only three other horses in the barn, two a normal colored light brown that I had seen many times before, the other a pure black that had even me looking twice just to make sure I wasn't seeing things. After tying up my horse I looked around, my eyes catching the small amount of sunlight that crept through the open windows further up the wooden walls, the supplies that the McCarty's used to handle the snakes all over in a little workshop that must have been used for working with metal at one point. I sighed as I slowly walked over to the opposite entrance of the barn, my eyes laying on two young girls both wearing dusty white dresses that matched their golden hair and tan skin, the smiles on their faces making me sick at how they tossed the sand under their feet into the air without a care in the world.

"Well _you _seem pissed 'bout somethin'." The sudden voice had me stop breathing for a second; I didn't see anyone else in the barn when I looked around. The voice chuckled as I turned around, my eyes laying on a rattlesnake that was just a few feet from me, its position something I had remembered from books I had read, it was a strike position. "Ya should probably back up kid," the voice said again, the scratchy tone like that of a child having worked long hours without taking a drink of water, and the accent defiantly more defined then that of the elder McCarty.

It was Billy.

A figure jumped down from the rafters, a good few feet from the rattlesnake, pinning the serpent between us and making it turn around immediately, its tail rattling wildly until it flicked out its tongue. The creatures entire body suddenly relaxing as if there wasn't a soul to be found in front of it, even moving over to the held out limb and slowly slithering into the other child's grasp before finding a more comfortable spot along their shoulders. I couldn't help but look at the scene in shock, my eyes not really believing what I was seeing. Billy McCarty HOLDING a full grown RATTLESNAKE.

I held my silence as my eyes wandered over the younger's form. Short, almost untamed light brown hair was streaked with gold that was caused by exposure to the sun, lightly tanned skin bringing out black slacks with matching riding boots that were complete with copper spurs. A white shirt's sleeves were rolled up to the elbows and a red bandana was around the kids neck, Billy's look easily letting me know that he didn't take no shit. And even though Billy was maybe two inches smaller than I was he looked so much stronger, but what really caught me was his eyes, a soft green that almost seemed to burn like fire over a forest, the very color that escaped the territory of my new home.

"Ya must be Jake," I nodded my head, my eyes never leaving the snake that was currently SUNBATHING on his neck.

"You must be William." The boy snickered, sharper than average canine teeth immediately catching my attention.

"Call meh Billy," the boy said, turning to put the rattlesnake around his neck back into the nearest empty cage, "most people do anyway." He chuckled; it wasn't an amused chuckle, or a fake one. It was more like Billy was attempting to get rid of whatever awkwardness was in the air. "So were neighbors fer da next couple years ay?"

"Apparently," The male rolled his eyes as he climbed into the rafters in which he had come, his somewhat dark clothing easily making me understand why I had not seen him earlier, he was practically invisible up there.

"You commin' or what?"

_I was an idiot for following Billy up to the roof; turns out he had about a dozen snakes up there with him. But we stayed in the rafters for the rest of the day, skipping lunch just so that we wouldn't have to stop talking, and arguing, becoming nothing less than best of friends. I didn't know why, but we were like two pieces of a puzzle, we just fit together better than Jay and I did back when I lived in the city. Back then I thought it was because both our mothers died, the two of us having to take a harder look at life because of it, having known the feeling of death at such a young age and be able to remember it. Because of it we were tougher, more mature and smarter than others our age, yet Billy was still greater than I was, but for one reason alone…_

"Yur really somethin' Jake!" Billy laughed as he handed me one of the adult rattlesnakes, I was a bit more comfortable around the creatures then before, it was mostly because Billy said that his dad had an antidote, and the snakes that we were holding had been forced to release their venom that same morning before we came. I laughed along with the younger male as I heard a door open, the two of us looking down from the rafters to see Billy's father in the barn doorway.

"Hey, you two, it's getting' late."

"Be right down Pa!" Billy shouted, my eyes unable to leave the smile on the guys face as he grabbed a few of the snakes off of their spots and allowing them all to rest along his neck, I doing the same as I followed the younger boy down. Mr. McCarty helped Billy with the snakes once we were on the ground, the two of them obviously knowing where each one was meant to go, I didn't want to get in their way.

"Alright, say yur goodbye Billy,"

"See ya Jake!" the boy laughed, turning to leave with his father before he shouted, running over to the work bench at the other end of the barn and returning with a black hat, the top flat like I had always wanted rather than that of a cowboy's. "Here," he said, swiping the tan hat off my head before replacing it with the black, tilting the front down to cover my eyes, "dat looks better."

"T-thanks Billy." Was all I could say as I tilted the hat back up to see Billy tossing the hat he had just taken off my head onto one of the rattlesnake cages.

"No prob," he winked, his forest green eyes almost glowing as his father called to him again.

"Come on baby girl." William called – Wait. _BABY GIRL?_

"Comin' Dad," Billy shouted again, laughing at my dumbfounded expression before she unbuttoned the top button of her shirt, revealing the black strip of fabric that only women were meant to wear.

"W-what?" I stuttered as Billy followed her father out of the barn, turning back right before she left to look me in the eye, green meeting gold as she spoke.

"Didn't think I was a female did ya Jake?" she chuckled, flipping her shorter hair out of her face before skipping off, the only sound remaining being the soft hisses of the rattlesnakes next to me.

…

"So," Priscilla started, looking up at the outlaw as he took a small sip of bear from the bottle, "Billy was a girl?"

"Yeah," the male whispered, his still golden eyes darting around the saloon to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation, "It came up when Billy was born, 'parently William wanted a boy so badly dat he decided on a name dat would fit a boy or girl," Jake paused again, his eyes lowering to his right shoulder, moving his shirt slightly so that Priscilla could see the tattoo that laid there, two words reading '_Dawn's Dusk_'. "Her name was Billy Dawn McCarty. Our nicknames fer each other were Dawn and Dusk 'cause of our weird middle names." He chuckled, returning the piece of fabric back to its original position as Priscilla looked back at the outlaws face. "She kept callin' meh HER Dusk, and she was MY Dawn."

"So then what happened?"

"We started growin' up." Jake admitted, running a hand through his hair, "Worked with our Pa's tryin' ta get a cure for some disease ih didn't even know, but Billy was always workin' hard, so I did too." The male's eyes darkened as he remembered what happened, a hand suddenly on his arm making him come out of his short trance, his eyes suddenly meeting Priscilla's once again. "I was eleven when Billy got sick,"

"Sick?" Priscilla paused, seeing the red flames start dancing around the outer edges of Jakes eyes once again, the pupils already starting to slit back into that of a snakes, "Sick with what?"

Jake didn't answer at first, his gaze changing to stare out the window of the bar for a short while before he returned to the conversation at hand. "She had the disease we were tryin' to cure."

…

I ran down the halls of the McCarty home as fast as my legs could carry me, I knew the place like the back of my hand if not better, I could hear Billy shouting out in pain as I turned a corner, my body colliding with the wall from my speed, but I didn't care. I continued to run down the dark hallways until I reached Billy's room, seeing my father and hers holding her down as another fit finally calmed down, her tears flowing down her cheeks as she cried. She had gotten the same disease that her mother had eventually died from; she had uncontrollable fits and a mix of symptoms that caused her body more harm than it did for her mother.

"You can come in now Jake," my father spoke softly as Billy opened her eyes at his words, I immediately ran over to my best friend, moving to sit in back of her and hold her still as she cried into my chest, her tears staining the dirty red shirt but I didn't care.

"Dusk," her voice was softer than what it was yesterday, it worried me, but I tried not to let it show as I hugged her closer. Her lighter colored hair mixing with my slightly darker toned, the black hat she had given me when I had first arrived still on my head, hiding my eyes from the views of my father and Mr. McCarty as they left us alone, knowing well enough that I wouldn't do anything to her. We were closer than brother and sister, closer than best friends.

"I'm here Dawn," I whispered back to her, her usually warm body now covered in goose-bumps from her fever. In a way I was thankful what she had was hereditary so that I could still see her, comfort her as she had done so many times with me whenever I had gotten hurt, the brace around my right wrist a key note for what I was thinking of.

"J-jake," she stuttered, my mind thinking just how sad it was that I had gotten use to her doing that over the past few weeks. "I'm sorry."

"Fer what?" The small bit of an accent that I had earned over my four years in the desert coming through as I spoke, my golden colored eyes meeting her dull forest green ones as she looked up at me.

"I asked Pa to get ya out 'a here when I-"

"Don't ya dare think 'o that Billy," I said, a single tear coming down my cheek at the thought of losing the one best friend I had out here, "Nothin' 's gonna happen to ya." She shook her head as another coughing fit took over her, I myself sitting there and waiting it out like I always did before she continued.

"Jake, I'm worse den my mother was," she coughed again, my arms holding her closer to me as more tears started to drop down my cheek, knowing where this was leading, but I didn't want her to say the words that were sure to break me apart.

"Dawn please."

"Dusk," her voice shook, tears coming down her cheeks as she accepted what was going to come, "Pa said that I'll die within da month."


	4. First Day

Chapter 4: First Day

Jake grit his teeth together as he, Wounded Bird, Spoons and Eglin lifted the heavy piece of metal pipe that would be the temporary fix for the water main until Rango brought over the equipment that they would later need for putting the new pipe in. His brow was covered in sweat and his arms were shaking as they put the piece into place, holding it there while Waffles and Buford screwed it in safely. A growl sounded from Jake's chest at the heavy weight that he was holding, wanting to keep some of the pressure off of Bird's shoulder because of the wound that was still present, and he wasn't too sure if the others on the opposite side were pulling their share, seeing as he was the only one that seemed to me breathing hard at the moment, even though he didn't show it.

"Rattlesnake," Jake opened an eye he didn't know he had closed at Wounded Birds sudden call, his flame colored eyes seeing the others off black color reflected with slight worry, "You okay?"

"Yeah why?" the outlaw asked back, his boots digging a bit farther into the sand as he shifted the pipe on his side at Waffle's shout.

"Venom,"

"Right," Jake whispered, not having noticed when his extremely sharp canine teeth had started dripping with the venom that he could produce, making sure to spit out the stuff from his mouth before he went back to keeping the metal pipe back into place, mentally reminding himself to watch in the future. He didn't need anyone freaking out at the sudden rattlesnake scales that would appear along his body whenever he accidentally swallowed his own venom. "Thanks Bird."

"Welcome." Was all that the Indian said as Buford gave the cue to back up, and that the pipe was in place like it should be, his eyes seeing how Jake immediately released the tension that was easily seen across his arms and back before he made his way to a large rocky surface to bask in the sun exactly like his name sake, a quiet but not unheard sigh of contentment leaving his lips as he did so.

"E's workin' too hard," Buford whispered to the taller male, never taking his eyes off of the young outlaw, "Pullin' almost double what anyone else is."

"Like when he first came."

"Seventeen an' more mature than some of de old-timers." The bartender said, turning to look over at Spoons and Eglin. "Jake's seen more den any 'a us would eva' want ta," his voice turned into a whisper as he looked back at the outlaw, seeing him laying on his stomach, shirt open so that his stomach would touch the warm ground and his head resting on his arms as he fell into a light cat-nap, his black hat hiding his eyes from view as his breathing evened out. "Should we wake 'im?"

Wounded Bird shook his head as he watched the younger male, "No, let the rattlesnake get some rest," the Indians voice was light as far as Buford could tell, but all the same, the bartender could sense the small hints of worry that were dotted in the larger man's voice, "Something's not right with Jacob."

"What do ya mean?" Buford questioned, turning a worried eye toward Jake before Bird continued.

"Skinnier," The fatter man cast an amused glance at his close friend before looking toward the outlaw once again, a small huff of amusement on his voice.

"What're ya talkin' 'bout-"

"Look at chest and arms," Bird said, motioning to the Rattlesnakes open shirt and rolled up sleeves, Buford now seeing exactly what Wounded Bird was, the quaking limbs and the definition of ribs on his chest showing what Jake didn't want anyone to see. "Hasn't eaten enough,"

"He's getting sick." Buford confirmed, a single nod from the Indian making it official, "when we git back we should tell Rango 'bout it."

…

Wounded Bird and Buford left the Sheriff's office quietly, Rango joining them a second later with Beans at his side as they looked toward where Jake was talking with Waffles, the child-like adult having enjoyed the talks that he and the famous outlaw could have about distant places and gunfights that the Rattlesnake had been in during his years as a hit-man. A few of the females in town were trying to get the males attention with their snazzy and best outfits, and they succeeded in getting Waffles attention, but Jake just nodded his head and paid his respect, not seeming interested in the slightest.

"He seems just fine ta me guys." Rango said quietly to the bartender and his deputy.

"Act." Bird said shortly, "Like you did."

"R-right," the smaller male stuttered, running a hand down the back of his neck as Beans rolled her eyes and chuckled slightly. Her look of amusement immediately souring upon seeing Spoons and Eglin walking – no stumbling – out of the saloon, hitting on the females in the street in the process of walking to their homes. Her eyes widening upon seeing who they needed to pass.

"Rango." Her voice was sharp as her husband turned to her, "we may have trouble." She discretely pointed toward the two drunk males that were slowly and clumsily approaching Waffles and Jake.

"So ya were even in New York?" Waffles asked, Jake chuckling slightly at the look of surprise in his face.

"Not fer a long time," he responded, a small grin on his lips that he couldn't help but show to the younger male, his golden-red eyes easily catching that the man he was talking to was around the same age as he was, probably just a year or so younger by the look of him. He knew Waffles story about how a fire burned his family home and everyone inside except for him, but yet he was so happy and childish all the time. '_The exact opposite of me_' Jake thought as he half listened to the male explaining how he had never really been outside of Dirt for his entire life.

"Yeah, all I evar really wanted was ta travel through the desert, but I'd get lost easily,"

"Next time I leave ya could come with meh if ya wish." Waffles looked up surprised by Jakes sudden statement, the outlaw's eyes holding no hint of sarcasm or a lie.

"Really?" the younger male asked, his eyes widening even more at Jakes soft nod, "You wouldn't mind?"

"Priscilla's already comin' with me, one more person won't matter any."

"Thanks Jake." A rare smile graced Jakes lips making Waffles gawk for a second before saying goodbye and running down the street, immediately telling the first person in sight – which just happened to be Ambrose – that he had seen Rattlesnake Jake smile, and not in the usual "I'm going to rip your fucking head off" one. Jake chuckled as he turned around, almost running into Spoons and Eglin in the process, his nostrils immediately filling with the stench of alcohol and his hand instinctively reaching for the Gatling gun hanging off of his shoulder.

People around the three could practically see the sparks flying when eyes connected, Spoons and Elgin glaring harsher than anything the town had ever seen and Jake exposing a single fang that had started dripping with light green venom, a growl rising from his chest as the two passed him. All three of their forms relaxing when they were a few feet away from the other, Jake still standing still as the two continued to lumber down the street. Beans, Rango and a few of the others sighing in relief until a drunken chuckle pierced the air, the two drinking buddies stopping a young female trying to impress Jake just ten feet past the outlaw himself.

"Hey darling," Eglin slurred as he pushed himself away from Spoons and approached the girl, "how 'bout you spend da night with me?"

"I-I'd rather n-not sir," the female stuttered, backing away from the elder slowly until he grabbed her arm.

"WHAT DO YA MEAN NO-" His statement was cut off with a sudden punch to the cheek, sending him back a good ten feet. "The fuck was that fo-" the elder man stopped his shout when he saw who had punched him, his violet colored eyes seeing an extremely pissed off outlaw standing in front of the cowering female. His head down and Gatling gun on the ground, his stance ready for a fist fight and his clothes moving at the slight breeze that danced over the town.

"Back off if ya 'no what's good fer ya kid," Spoons practically growled at the outlaw, a few of the other locals gasping at the nerve the old miner had in talking that way to the famous Rattlesnake. Jake however looked up, the shadow that his had cast over his face making his eyes suddenly glow as bright as the sun as he gently pushed the female back the way she had came, the girl running into the nearest building as the outlaw took off his hat, the scar along his left eye reflecting the light overhead because of the rough scales that laid there.

"Make me."

Rango flinched at Jakes tone, he had never heard it that deep or dark before as Spoons and Eglin laughed in their drunken haze, the two stepping toward the younger male while running a hand over their individual weapons. "What was dat?"

"Ih said MAKE ME!" the outlaw shouted, a hiss in his voice as he dodged the sudden shots that were fired at him by Spoons' Stampede Marshal 45 Colt and Eglins' Uberti Army Revolver. Avoiding each bullet with a simple twist of his body and a back-flip, landing in a perfect crouching position, his eyes glowing as a single cloud covered the sun and his fangs almost digging into his bottom lip as he grinned evilly. Wounded Bird and Buford sighing at the sight, knowing there was nothing they could do to stop the damage that was about to be done at the hands of the famous outlaw whenever he got like this.

"Jake-" Rango started, being stopped by the two hands that were suddenly on each of his shoulders, one being Wounded Bird and the other Beans, their eyes both saying 'don't get into it' as the Sheriff looked back at the confrontation.

"Leave him," Beans whispered as Spoons and Eglin's guns were knocked out of their hands, "It will end faster that way."

Jake growled as he kicked Eglin down to the ground before spinning and landing a hit on Spoons cheek in the same motion, gracefully dodging every hit the two sent at him just as his namesake would. Elgin shouted out in his drunken furry and managed to get a hit on the back of Jake's thigh, making the male wince from the pain caused by the leather boots before he spun and landed a solid punch right to the dark haired male's nose, hearing the sickening crack as it broke before turning and elbowing Spoons back to the ground and ducking a left hook and leg-swept Eglin next to his friend, Jake's only mistake being that the downed miner was able to reach his Colt.

A click made the outlaw freeze right before he went to punch Eglin in the face again, blood flowing freely down the elder mans nose, having stained some of Jake's shirt and fist with the crimson color. Jake's dark brown hair was tussled and covered most of his forehead and his right eye, leaving only the scared left eye in the open to glare at the miner as Spoons stood from the ground, gun still aimed directly at the Rattlesnake despite the drunkenness of the holder.

"FUCK YOU RATTLESNAKE!" Spoons cussed, Rango moving forward to interfere like he was suppose to, but a single glance at him from Jacob had the green haired male stopping short.

"I'd rather ya don't." Wounded Bird and Buford snickered at the comment, Jake clearly hearing the 'he hasn't changed a bit,' remark from the elder males before Spoons growled, his finger tightening on the trigger as he glared.

"Shut yur mouth!" Jake's smile dropped as Eglin picked his gun as well, keeping it well aimed at the side of his head, his mind racing to the two small daggers that he had in the sides of his boots.

"Why da hell should I?" the male dared, his eyes turning almost pure red as he pushed Spoons with his words, seeing him and Eglin squeezing the triggers of their guns. In an explosion both Spoons and his drinking buddy were thrown back as the shots fired, Jake crouching down with his arms out in the directions of both his foes, two twin daggers embedded into the ends of each barrel. Eglin and Spoons both lying on the ground shocked that Jake was still alive and unharmed, until they saw the insignia that was carved into the hilt of each dagger.

A striking rattlesnake.

Jake chuckled as he snatched the small knives from the ends of the guns, placing each of them back into its proper place before grabbing his Gatling gun and turning to the female that had been the target of Eglin's 'affections' as she peered out of the slightly open door of the nearest building. "Ya alright kid?" A single nod was her response, a small blush on her forming on her cheeks as Jake turned away, looking back at where Spoons and Elgin were being handcuffed by Rango, most likely to spend the night in a jail-cell for causing so much trouble.

"Thank you." Jake turned at the soft voice of the young female, obviously she was Ambrose's daughter, her soft golden eyes and raven black hair were enough to tell that she was, her fancy aristocratic red dress gave the rest away.

"No prob," was his response, giving the female a small nod out of respect before walking across the street over to the Sheriff's Office, grabbing his hat from a post as he walked, Buford and Wounded Bird both chuckling as he passed. "What?" The younger male asked innocently, a small satisfied grin on his lips.

"Teenager." Was the only word that the Indian said, a hint of amusement in his dark eyes as the sun came back out from the large cloud that had hidden it through the fight between the drunks and the outlaw. Jake and Buford snickered at the comment, both knowing well enough that it was true, even if the Rattlesnake wouldn't admit to it.

"Go get some sleep kid," Buford said quietly, a small laugh still echoing in his voice, "and take it easy fer a while." At the questioning look that the Rattlesnake gave them Bird continued.

"Workin' too hard,"

"Someone has to," Jake laughed, patting his – dare he say it – friends on the arms before he walked into the Sheriff's Office, his eyes darting over to where Priscilla sat looking out the window, her hair still in the twin braids that they always were in.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Do what?" Jake teased, cracking his neck before sitting next to the smaller female, obviously knowing exactly what she was asking.

"The knife thing that you did."

"You don't think ih just learned how ta use a Gatlin' gun do ya?" A hint of amusement stayed in his voice as he relaxed slightly, the soreness of the long day's work almost melting into the seat he was in. "Billy taught it ta me,"

"Really?" Priscilla asked, turning to face Jake as he pushed his untamable hair out of his face.

"Yeah," the Rattlesnake paused, "da month after she was cured."


	5. A Rattlesnake's Venom

**Hey everyone, i know it's been a long time and all but because of something that has recently come up i decided to post a few more chapters of The Kid and the Rattlesnake, one to get me going on it a bit more and two so that i could get my mind off of something. So here it is, i hope everyone enjoys**

Chapter 5: A Rattlesnake's Venom

"_Dad please ih don't want ta leave," I begged, looking back at the McCarty's house, even from the outside I could hear Billy coughing and crying in pain. I winced knowing that I couldn't help her, that she would be gone by the time I got back._

"_Jake," My father's voice was soft, almost comforting, but then again, he knew the pain of losing a best friend, the person that he couldn't live without. "You don't want to be here when it happens, trust me." I paused, my horse just short of leaving the McCarty property to look back one last time, a tear falling from my eyes before I followed my father._

"_Goodbye Billy."_

…

A month, one fucking month. That was how long I was gone with my father visiting the family I had in the city, though I didn't want to be there. I would have rather stayed next to Billy and be with her in the last bit of life that she had. But I still followed her wishes, leaving like she had asked so that I wouldn't have to see her suffer, so that she wouldn't have to see me in pain at her side.

I kicked my horse to go faster as we approached the McCarty property; I had actually grown over the course of the visit, now almost six feet and just an inch or so shorter than my father, not that I could brag anymore. I didn't want to return to the desert, but now that we had I was practically rushing to get to the house, to run to the barn and climb into the rafters like she use to do. Just so that I could be alone, not have the others looking at me in sorrow, in pain.

"Uncle Josh! Uncle Josh!" Sasha and Kyra McCarty shouted to my father, the twins now almost eight, and they looked like every young girl should have, the long hair, the nice dress, nothing like Billy was - I bit my lip so that a tear wouldn't fall from my eyes, I didn't want the waterworks to start, not now. I didn't need my father and the girls to see me cry, I had to be strong. Even though I wasn't.

"Jake!" Mr. McCarty shouted my name, making me look up from under my black hat. His eyes reflected the same kindness that they always had, but they glittered with something that sure wasn't the loss of his eldest daughter. "Jake, come with me, I want ya to see something." I nodded my head as I jumped off my horse, giving the reins to the two young girls to take care of her while I followed their father into the snake holding pen that had been moved into its separate building rather than being in the barn with the horses. The familiar hiss of the rattlers was a welcome sound to my ears; it reminded me of Billy so much that I almost broke down right then and there if my eyes hadn't caught the movement of someone in the corner of the building.

There she stood, golden-brown hair tussled like she had just gotten out of bed, her jeans and shirt covered in dust and dirt and a rattlesnake around her neck like they always were. "Its 'bout time ya showed up Dusk!" Her voice was a sound I never thought I would hear again in my lifetime, as she placed the snake back down into its cage. Placing a hand down on her hip right before running over to me and throwing her arms around my neck, my nostrils filling with the scent of the desert, the rattlesnakes and something that was totally her. Tears finally falling from my eyes as I wrapped my arms around her in return; not in sorrow like I had originally thought, but out of pure joy that she was alive.

Billy Dawn McCarty – my best friend – was alive.

I pulled away from her, just now noticing that she and I were even in height, but that wasn't all that I saw. She looked so much better than the last time I had seen her, her ribs weren't showing through anymore, her hair wasn't graying, and the light in her eyes had returned – wait. My eyes narrowed at the sudden change of everything, she was even more muscular than before she had even gotten sick, and she grew almost half a foot in that time as well. But her eyes, the emerald green that I had come to love – yes I did just say love – was now suddenly dotted with a dark amber reaching all the way around her pupil which was slit like an animals. Hints of patterns were dotted around the outer edges of her eye, the color just a shade or two darker than her skin tone and highlighted with small diamonds. My eyes widened as I looked between Billy and her father, then to the snakes in the cages around us, their patterns and markings suddenly filling my head as I looked down at a huge marking that wasn't on Billy's right arm before, at first it looked like a tattoo, but I couldn't help the gasp that had came out of my mouth when I realized exactly what it was.

Scales.

Scales that formed a rattlesnake winding around her arm about to bite into the vein, the eye the remaining human scar tissue from where we had the IV in her, where William must have given her the cure. I looked up back into Billy's eyes and I could see the fear within them, a small smile forcing its way onto her lips where two almost inch long fangs sat where her canine teeth were, small drops of a blue-green liquid coming from them – liquid I knew was venom. I did the first thing that came to my mind in that moment.

I turned and ran.

…

"You ran?" Priscilla asked as her voice betrayed the surprise that escaped her face. Jake nodded his head as he looked out at the darkening sky, his eyes lowering to the girl as he gave off a soft chuckle.

"If you thought yur best friend was dead, then you see their alive and lookin' like a freakin' snake wouldn't you?" The girl paused as she thought over the question, an obvious yes answer coming in the form of a soft nod. "Yeah, I freaked out, ih didn't 'no what da hell was goin' on, why Billy changed like she did. I had guessed it was 'cause of the cure, but I didn't know what ih was suppose ta do."

…

I sat in the rafters of the barn, my arms wrapped around my legs as I just sat there and cried. I hadn't done something like this since my mother had died, but at the moment I didn't care. I felt the beam I was sitting on suddenly bounce slightly, and I knew who had come to see me, I didn't need to guess, seeing as no one other than just one person actually could get up here.

"Jake?" I didn't bother looking up when she spoke, her tone was gentler than what it normally was when she and I were alone, and she obviously knew I was more than a little freaked out by what I had seen. "Dusk can we talk?" I left her question unanswered for a few seconds, my eyes looking at her dusty black boots before I gave her the small nod that she was waiting for. She immediately sat down next to me, her movements much more fluid than what I remembered; in fact everything about her seemed smoother, finer, yet still extremely strong.

'_Like a snake_,' I thought as I looked away from her, wiping off the tears that had ran down my face so that she wouldn't see, but she did anyway, her hand moving to the cloth that she almost always had in her back pocket, handing it out to me to grab. I took it after a moment's hesitation, our fingertips brushing against one another's, I was relatively surprised to feel that her skin was still warm to the touch, if not a great deal warmer than what it once was before she had gotten sick. "Y-you're-"

"Warm?" Billy asked cutting me off, I nodded my head as I looked away a little ashamed at my question, "Pops thought it was weird too." She continued, allowing her legs to dangle off of the wooden beam casually. Her gloved right hand running through her hair like she had always use to do, moving the shorter strands that couldn't be tucked behind her ear out of the middle of her forehead. "There's a lot dat didn't change Dusk," she started, slowly shifting to sit closer to me, "I'm still da same know it all dat I was b'fore." I chuckled slightly, still not turning to look her in the eyes. I could tell that it was frustrating her that I didn't even look at her, but a hand at my knee had me turning faster than lightning striking a building, my eyes meeting hers before I could stop it. The amber around the edges of the green color faded so that it was mostly green, the emeralds that I knew so well. Before I realized what she was doing, she placed my hand over her chest, my palm able to feel beats so strongly I thought that her heart could have burst from her chest in that moment.

"Remember the day ya left fer the city?" Her question was rhetorical, but I nodded anyway, "Remember how you could barely feel da beats? How ih couldn't stay awake for more den an hour?" I nodded again as she moved my hand away, instead taking it into the two of hers, "Dad mixed rattler venom and DNA sequences with mine so that I could git over the disease and survive. Der is only one more vial of the stuff and it's for only meant for one person." She paused, looking away from me for a second, her eyes resting on our hands. "I'm a half breed, a hybrid with a rattlesnake, the only one of mah kind Jake," she raised her eyes to look at me again, amber mixing with emeralds once again, "I don't wanna loose ya Dusk, just because I look an' act a bit more like da creatures ih learned to care 'bout."

I didn't say anything to her, instead all I could do was bring her into my arms like I had before my father took me to the city, allowing her to rest her head on my chest and have my arms around her, a small smile coming to both of our lips as she put a hand on my arm. "Ih missed ya Billy."

"I missed you too Jake." Her voice was quiet, her slightly skinnier form whispering something almost inaudible as she sighed. "More than you know."

_It was that same year that Billy's father and my own created two guns. I didn't know how legendary and revered they would become back then, how destructive they could be, yet at the same time how they were meant to help people. My father created the Gatling gun from a confiscated Winchester 1897 Trench Rifle, entirely made of silver and oak wood; it was made to withstand a temperature of over five hundred degrees. Never stalled or clogged, and its aim was always perfect. No matter what. _

_Billy's father however worked with a small hand gun. An engraved 1873 Peacemaker the handle a solid gold while the rest was a type of black metal I had never heard of. I never heard a lot about the gun that was being made. Just that it would harness electrical powers that the human body can create and have a bullet go even faster than what was ever done. A Rail gun. Billy was more so the expert on what the gun actually was, and how it was meant to be used, all I really remembered from when the guns were being made were the loud, almost thunder like echoes that reverberated through the desert whenever the gun was shot, and the remaining scorch marks along the ground and walls around the McCarty home._

_Three years passed with almost little to no activity, except for the occasional trip that Billy would take with her father into the desert to collect more snakes. With Dawn suddenly able to communicate with the creatures they found it much easier to find them, and convince them to not struggle as much. It also helped that she was immune to their venom all of a sudden, so whenever a snake was having a fit, she took care of it without a second thought, but afterward she would break out in scales near where she got bit – never thought I would say that in my lifetime – for a few days before they would disappear and she could go back to being with the rest of us in town._

_During that same time, my father and Cilia had a child together. I had a little half-sister that was named Morgan Ranger; she looked almost exactly like our dad, same as me. Billy often teased me about how protective I was of Morgan, though whenever I started to protest even my father said to not bother, that what she said was true. But it was only a few months after my little sister was born that an event changed my, and Billy's lives for the rest of our existence…_

Billy and I raced on out almost year old horses, my old mare having bred with the black stallion that belonged to Mr. McCarty and two foals were born. One a female that I named Viper because of the markings along the sides of her eyes and back that matched that of some of the snakes that were lined along the stable walls. She was a lighter brown color than her mother was, but she was a hard worker, even when she was still a month old. The other was a male, midnight black just like his father. Billy had named him Strike because of the way he would easily lash out to protect himself against anyone – the only person he actually liked was Billy and the rattlesnakes she seemed to favor – he was larger than Viper, even while they were foals, but he was as stubborn as they came.

"Billy!" Mr. McCarty and my father were sitting on the porch of our house. It wasn't as grand as what I once lived in, but I loved it even more. "Jake! Give da two a break will ya?!"

"Sorry pops!" Billy shouted to her father, she was thirteen now, practically a woman in the terms of society. I was fourteen, it was only a few months until my birthday when I would become an adult, though I was already as tall as Mr. McCarty, and I was still growing. My hair was longer as well, almost at my shoulders even though I had cut it a month ago. I didn't really know how I had grown so fast, or when I became more muscular than my superiors, or any of that, but Billy had grown just as much as I had. The younger female was even in height to me, about six feet one inch, and her father predicted a few more before she would finally stop. She kept her hair short, like she usually did, though it was even shorter than mine. She was better built than my father, and of course the rattlesnake DNA had something to do with that.

We were wearing our usual clothing, the light jeans, white or red shirts with the sleeves rolled up to our elbows and black riding boots. The only thing that separated Billy and I were the bandages she used around her hands to hide the scales that were currently hiding there because of a recent snake bite, and the black hat that I had since the first day I was in Nevaeh which was still a bit large for me. Billy never did stop teasing me about it.

"Come on you two," my step-mother called to us, her hand wresting on my father's shoulder as she looked at the two of us. She had come to love all of the kids, even Mr. McCarty's as her own. She saw Sasha and Kyra as the two little princesses they were, Billy as the tomboy that earned the respect as who she was and not for her gender, and me as the first and only son she would have ever wanted. I looked to her as a mother even though seven years ago I refused to see her as such, she had helped take care of me and I could never forget that. Neither could the McCarty's. "It's time for dinner."

"We'll be righ' there Ma'am!" Billy and I shouted at the exact same time, already starting to lead our horses to the barn in between my and Billy's house. Cilia nodded her head and lead my father and William into the house where the other girls were looking after Morgan, obviously taking the role of her babysitter whenever I couldn't.

"Earth to Dusk!" I snapped out of my slight trance at Billy's sudden voice. My golden-brown eyes meeting the green-amber that was hers, it was weird how fitting it looked now that I had gotten use to the fact that Billy was half rattlesnake, sure I still adored the emeralds that were her original eye color, but this seemed to just fit her better.

"Sorry Dawn," I chuckled, moving a strand of my brown hair out of my face, the hat doing nothing to keep my wild and wavy hair in place.

"What da hell were ya thinkin' 'bout so hard?"

"Oh, nothin'," I responded, the slightly younger female next to me rolling her eyes and shaking her head at how I zoned out so randomly.

"Whateva' you say," she chuckled, spurring her horse to move faster as we reached the barn. "Just remember dat those people from Harrison's company 're comin' tonight."

"Right." I spoke softly, watching how she jumped off of her horse so easily, and gracefully. Being as I wasn't a hybrid like her I couldn't do the same stunts as she was able to, jump from the top of the barn, lift things that even our fathers couldn't do together. In a single word, she was a snake. I followed her lead and hopped off of my horse, closing the stall gate behind her and her twin brother, taking off the saddle in the process so that she would be comfy. Billy standing next to me and doing the same for Strike, making sure to slip him a sugar cube in the process, and doing the same for Viper when I '_wasn't looking_'. Afterward we left the barn together, Billy playfully putting her arm over my shoulders as we walked.

"Do ya know when they're suppose ta get here?" I asked, Billy shaking her head in response, releasing my shoulder to adjust the bandages on her hands and wrists, covering the scales that were in slight view.

"All I know is dat the guy leadin' them is a hybrid with a hawk." Her voice was slightly shaky, as I had expected. Her emotions were all in a flurry, now not being the only blood-sibling with an animal had given her some relief from the situation that she was in, just with her having a rattlesnake instincts she didn't like birds, especially hawks.

"You'll be fine," I whispered, taking her hand in mine, though I made sure to leave the slight bit of sadness out of my voice. I didn't let anyone but my father and Cilia know it but I had a crush on Billy for a while, I mean, come on, she was the only female I had ever known to like the same things as I did. Not to mention that she was good looking and a hard worker that wanted to earn everything that she was given. But, because of her little 'condition' as she called it, it was obvious that she needed someone that understood her better than I did, someone who was similar to her. Someone I could never be.

"Yeah, yur probably right." Billy's whispered voice cut me from my thoughts, squeezing her hand slightly to let her know that I cared. Her response was one of her usual smiles, the long canine teeth glistening in the setting late night sun as we walked back to my place. Our short conversation still reverberating through the desert around us as we reached the fence that surrounded the property, Billy's hand stopping me from moving any further as her eyes narrowed at the building that I had helped build.

"Dawn, what is it?" I asked, my voice reflecting the concern that was suddenly coursing through my veins as she growled, taking a step back probably out of instinct as I finally saw what she had. The twenty or so horses that were waiting outside of my house, the men that had my father, Cilia and Mr. McCarty bound and gagged, Billy's little sisters being held back by two young adults, and my sister in the arms of a person I thought was dead.

"Jay?"


	6. Shot through the Heart

Chapter 6: Shot through the Heart

Thunder crashed outside the window of Jake's room, Buford having been nice enough to give him a room for less than the other travelers that passed through the town. The Rattlesnake was truthfully a little thankful for the sudden flashflood that had over taken the town right before everyone was meant to go fix the pipes; he didn't exactly expect a good reaction from two certain people that he had fought with the day before. Jacob sighed as he laid back onto the hard bed that was in the middle of the room, his body ached for the one thing he refused himself every single year around this same time, his hand unconsciously reaching for his saddle bag.

"What are you doing?"

"Whoa!" Jake jumped almost three feet off the bed when Priscilla spoke, her quiet form snickering slightly as his eyes narrowed in mock hatred of her in that one moment, a small growl escaping his form before he sighed and relaxed once again, the previous thoughts in his mind fading away slowly as he turned toward the darker haired and younger female, a small look of annoyance in his hellfire eyes as he glared at the girl. "Hey Priss." The female just nodded as she jumped up onto the bed next to Jacob, obviously not waiting for an invitation to do so as she stared out the window, her mind still wandering about what the outlaw had told her the night before and said male could tell exactly what her mind was on.

"If ya wanted me to continue, all ya had ta do was say so." The elder spoke softly, his eyes moving to the Gatling gun that was sitting smugly on the small table next to the bed, the soft lighting from the candle next to it making the room seem a bit darker than what it actually was.

"Then could you?" The female asked, her soft golden-brown eyes meeting Jakes in a second before he nodded his head.

"My memory 'a what happened next ain't entirely there kid, just lettin' ya know." The outlaw warned.

"Why?"

"You'll know in a sec," Jake whispered, his eyes darkening as he looked at the reflection of the water on the window, his eyes turning to a darker red, the golden orbs almost completely gone when he looked back at Priscilla. "The hawk hybrid was my first best friend, Jay Digger."

…

"Jay?" I asked, the other males eyes widening just slightly as we saw each other for the first time in years. He was exactly like I remembered, except for the hawk like qualities and the fact that he was older. His blond hair was still long, and pulled back into a low tail that had a few small feathers in back of his ear. His form still muscular like it had always been, and his amber eyes were just slightly darker than what I remembered, but that was most likely because of the hawk blood that ran through his system. He was dressed similarly to Billy and I, his jeans and work shirt dusty with sand, but unlike us, he seemed to have an aura around him that made him look darker than what he already was.

"Jake?" His voice was deeper, but then again I kind of expected that too. "Jake what the fuck are you doing here?" His tone wasn't what I had expected, angry and almost pissed off. Nothing like when we were younger.

"Billy!" Sasha shouted out in alarm making her older sister snarl at the other men that were holding her sisters and family, her eyes glaring daggers at Jay.

"What da hell do ya think yur doing?" I was nothing less than shocked by the sudden change in Billy's voice, the lighter than average tone was gone and transformed into something I was nothing less than terrified of. This was dark, powerful and a force to be reckoned with and Jay knew it. My old friend snickered as he walked forward, my little sister still in his arms as he started speaking.

"We have a notice from Sig Harrison, company owner and the person in charge of the funds of this compound, to shut his lab down and exterminate all evidence of it ever being here." He paused within a few feet of me, his eyes narrowed like that of the birds that hunted the desert, an unknown growl leaving my own chest for a reason I didn't know. "That includes the people that ran it." My eyes widened in understanding, the guns that were suddenly pointed at my family's heads, as well as at us. Mr. McCarty attempting to shout something out to Billy and I as the guns were suddenly loaded and ready to fire, the men behind our family's pulling the triggers.

"NO!" My shout echoed along with the sudden gunshots, dust covering the ground where my family should have been, but instead they sat in back of me, still bound and gagged, Billy's sisters trying to untie the rope holding them together. The men were on the ground, the barrels to their guns busted open and Billy standing over them, her eyes trained back at Hawk who was also on the ground, my sister no longer in his arms but in Billy's. Her eyes were like nothing I had ever seen from her, the amber clouding over the emeralds like flames to a dry forest and the iris slit down to the size of a needle, her fangs dripping with her own venom and a hiss coming from her chest. Jay and I then saw the daggers that were imbedded within each of the guns of his men, all crested with a Fleur-de-lis made out of snakes. Billy's symbol.

"Billy!" William shouted, his daughters finally haven finally gotten the gag off, his tone commanding, "Now!"

"Back up Jake," Billy said shouting, handing my younger sister to Cilia before she crouched, her eyes on the men that were slowly standing up from their fall, an evil smirk playing on her lips as they finally stood at their full heights. The ground shook when she suddenly screamed out in pain, sand flying into the air hiding her form from us and the other gunmen as well, my father signaling me to run but I couldn't move, something was keeping me in my place, and as the dust settled I discovered exactly what it was.

Billy had her hands wrapped around one of the men's throats, the scales that were once just on her wrist spread up her forearm, blade-like projections running along the outer part of her arms, the ends coated in a small bit of blood that was obviously from the man that laid dead at her feet. Her shirt was torn so that only her breasts were securely covered and her jeans were shredded revealing the skin underneath, scales collecting around her back and hips where a long, whip-like tail was wrapped around the torso of another man, squeezing the air out of his lungs so fast I even flinched. Along her neck and cheeks were markings matching a few of the rattlesnake's that we owned, the scales stretching from the sides of her eyes to the top and bottom of her ears with a diamond covering only her right eye. Her canine teeth were larger than before, and exactly like the fangs of a rattlesnake, green-blue venom dripping from them before she bit into the throat of another man, sending him to the ground – screaming in pain – in less than a second. Her eyes dancing with the colors of emerald green and the golden-orange amber around an iris slit exactly like a pissed off Mojave rattlesnake.

"Dawn," my voice shook as I whispered her name, though no one else seemed to notice it as Billy looked toward Jay. Her eyes narrowing even further as she stuck out a forked tongue, tasting the air like a snake before she then smiled; her long tail ending without a rattle as she moved it back and forth.

"Bitch!" Billy chuckled at the term her fangs glistening in the light of the now setting sun.

"Bastard hawk," Her words hit their mark, Jay pulling out a revolver from a holster at his belt and aiming it at the female. Billy attempted to take a step forward but one of the other men grabbed her by the neck, immediately pulling her back into a fight with the remaining men as Jay faced my family and Billy's.

"Who should I start with?" his voice was cold as Billy's form tried to fight back to us, but with so many men against just her, she didn't stand much of a chance, and the hybrid knew it.

_**BANG**_

_**BANG**_

In two sudden gunshots Billy's sisters hit the ground, dead.

"SASHA! KYRA!" Billy's and Mr. McCarty's shouts echoed over everyone else's. Pain evident in their voices as the two little ones died quickly from shots to the head, Billy's fighting suddenly becoming desperate as she fought to get to her father's side.

_**BANG**_

My father dropped.

_**BANG**_

Mr. McCarty fell.

_**BANG**_

Morgan and Cilia were hit with the same bullet.

I couldn't stop the tears that clouded my vision when I saw my half-sister fall to the ground, Cilia's arms still wrapped around her when they finally hit the sand. My arms shaking with rage and pain as Jay finally turned to me, his cold eyes meeting mine as I looked up at him from my spot on the ground – never having known how I had fell. "Jay why?" I asked, only to be shushed by the sound of Billy's shouting and Jay himself.

"My name isn't Jay anymore kid," he paused to look back at Dawn as he prepared to fire at me, "It's Hawk now."

"DUSK!" Billy's shout echoed through my ears, something about it suddenly made me loose whatever fear I had, instead being replaced by complete and total anger. Before my old friend could even realize what the hell was happening I tackled him to the ground, his revolver flying off in the direction of where Billy and I had came from. My fists hit Hawks face faster than what I had ever done while training with Dawn, his entire form still in shock that I had even been able to move from my previous spot as I saw Billy running in the direction of her home, many of the remaining males following her leaving only me and Hawk behind. Jay kicked me off of him once he regained whatever thoughts he had been stripped of when I suddenly acted, though my hand wrapped around his shirt pulling him with me as we tussled in the dirt and sand.

"BASTARD!" the anger that coursed through my voice surprised even me, though it did nothing to deter me from punching Jay in the cheek, my hand stinging from the force of the blow, though the hawk hybrid didn't seem even a bit fazed by it. I dodged a kick to the thigh and delivered my own to his shin, hearing the crack of bone, my lips curving into a smile, knowing that he would fall, but he didn't. Hawk staggered back a few paces, gripping his injured leg with a grimace on his face as another snap sounded from his leg. My eyes widened when I realized that he had set the bone back into place, his form showing his pain, but it didn't stop him from taking a step forward, his arm swinging out faster than what I was prepared for, and cutting down my left eye with sharp – almost talon like – claws. The pain was like nothing I had ever felt before, and I had felt everything from broken bones to snake bites, but this was different. The talons were sharper than knives that cut through my skin easier than a snake fang through a mouse hide, I could feel the blood that ran down my cheek and neck as I pulled away and hear the laughter of the hawk hybrid as I placed a hand over the wound. It stretched from my hairline to more than halfway down my cheek, angled just slightly so that is scraped the middle of my eye, yet still knick the corner of my cheekbone.

"Jake!" Jay and I turned at Billy's voice, her form was surrounded by the dead bodies of the other gunmen, some of the others retreating from the property with wounds that stretched across their bodies, Dawns eyes reflecting the anger of her family's death. "Run!" In a flash she tackled Hawk to the ground, the snarls that came from the two of them like the thunder that crashed overhead, the sudden clouds that had appeared overhead in an instant. I ran, like Billly told me to, into the rattlesnake pins. The snakes around me seemed to know something was up, they heard the growls and hisses that came from my best of friends, as well as the calls that were coming from the hawk. I stopped next to one of the larger cages, catching my breath from the fight that had just happened between myself and Jay, a tear falling down my cheek and the gash on my left eye as I thought of my father, dead. My little sister. A growl escaped my chest again, I didn't know where all of this was coming from, but I spared a glance out the window to see Billy running toward the building, a downed hawk attempting to stand behind her. She entered the building with the soft slam of the metal door, her breathing not as harsh as my own despite the number of people she had been fighting.

"Are ya alright?" Her voice was still gentle toward me despite her new appearance; I nodded my head once not looking her way until she hugged me. Only then did I notice the tears that were coming down her face, her blazing eyes closed as the salty liquid escaped from them, only then remembering that her sisters were dead along with the father that saved her from dying. Yet, when she pulled away she still looked at me with protective eyes that bore into my soul. "Ya have ta get out'a here Jake," her tone sounded almost desperate as she placed both her hands on my shoulders, "He's after ya, he only wants meh alive."

"I won't let dat happen." I replied sharply, one of my hands resting on her hip, keeping her from pushing me away and the other found its way to her neck, "Ih won't let 'im take ya!" My words were more so like I was promising myself, but her eyes softened to the point where the scales around her entire body had faded back into skin again, leaving only the shredded clothes that were almost mending themselves in places.

"Jake," she paused, hearing something land on the roof of the building, "He'll kill ya."

"Ih don't care,"

That was the last thing I said before I kissed her, not one of those kisses that the guy suddenly just pecks a girls cheek and backs off before he can get slapped. No. This I had wanted to do for quite some time. My lips met hers almost roughly; my hand on her neck pulling her closer while the one on her hip kept her steady as she swayed back. My mind registering it wasn't because she was trying to pull away but because she was surprised and it didn't take her long to respond back. The hands that were previously on my shoulders were wrapped around my neck, her head tilted so that I could softly nibble on her bottom lip, and her body leaning back ever so slightly so that we were almost molded together as one.

Though she eventually pulled back softly, her eyes closed as she leaned against my chest, "I can't let ya get killed Jake-" she cut herself off in a moment's notice, her eyes widening as she seemed to remember something. "Jake, I need ya to make a distraction so ih can git to da house." I nodded my head, not even bothering to ask what she was going in there for, probably a gun or something. "Be careful."

"Ih will." I promised her, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek before I let her go, her form once again changing back into the half rattlesnake look as she left the building, crashing through the window in the process. I exited through the opposite door not even a moment later, my feet hitting the ground in thuds as I ran over the sand. Behind me I knew hawk was following, the wing beats told me he had changed into a form similar to Billy's, and a single glance was all I needed to know that it was exactly what I was thinking. Jay's shirt was gone revealing huge wings that had sprouted from his shoulder blades, the feathers matching his golden hair exactly. Markings around the rest of his body showed exactly what kind of bird he was, and it was enough to get me to run faster. I was tackled just as I reached the property line separating the McCarty land from the Ranger's. Jay and I trading blows like before, my form able to avoid the punches and kicks to the head, and get a few hits on him just the same. I landed a hard kick to his chin, sending him back a few feet, his wings keeping him upright from the attack, though in an instant he had me once again on the ground, his now much larger form keeping me pinned as he landed blows to my chest. I could hear a rib break as a scream of pain left me before I could stop it, Jay looking down at me like a predator that just found its prey.

Yet a second later, his weight on my torso was gone, I turned my head to see him in the dirt, Billy beating him into the ground, long fangs dripping with venom as she bit into his arm. His scream of pain was like music to my ears as he launched Billy into the air, the female skidding back a few feet in my direction before she charged him again, her fist landing in his face before he could even get to a fully upright position. Hawk skidded back a good ten feet and managed to fling Billy into the side of the barn, the horses inside making a racket in the process, then Jay turned back to me, his revolver that I thought I had gotten rid of back in his hand as he aimed back at me.

"Jay," My voice was a whisper as I looked between him and Billy, my eyes finally seeing the object that was in the females' hands, the last syringe that held the cure to the disease that she had gotten over. But Billy's eyes shone with a determination I had never seen before, the emerald green that I adored looking back at me, the amber along the sides dancing like the sand during a dust storm. "Billy," I saw the tear that suddenly went down her cheek, it seemed so out of place, I didn't know why she was crying all of a sudden.

I didn't know that I had failed to hear the gunshot and the bullet that ripped through my chest.

…

Priscilla could only stare at Jake and what he was saying, the outlaw not even able to look the little girl in the face as she asked her one single question. "Ya were shot?"

"Yeah Priss." Jake responded, a hand unconsciously moving to the marking in the rattlesnakes' eye, his own eyes closing as he looked away from the young girl, his sentence a whisper. "Right through the heart."


	7. Mark of a Rattlesnake

Chapter 7: Mark of a Rattlesnake

Priscilla stared at the outlaw for more than five minutes before she could respond to what she had just heard, her golden-brown eyes wide and her hands still resting in her lap as she finally spoke. "If ya were shot through the heart," she paused, still trying to get over the shock of what Jake had just told her, "shouldn't ya be-"

"Dead?" Jacob questioned, his eyes locking with Priscilla's for a millisecond before the dark haired girl had to look away.

"Yeah,"

"That's what I thought," Jake snickered slightly, running a hand through his untamable hair before continuing. "It turns out Billy's father lied to meh and da others about what exactly cured Billy." He paused, eyes once again locking with the young girls, obviously knowing that he had her full attention. "Billy died, just a day afta' my father an' I left fer the city. Her pa didn't 'no it back den, but the so called cure 'e made wasn't fer what Dawn had."

"Then what was it for?"

Jake looked at Priscilla, his golden eyes dancing with the flames of hell as he answered her question, his voice like ice, a shiver running down the girls spine as he spoke. "It was a way to cheat death."

…

I blacked out after the shot; I saw the whole white light thing that is legend of what happens once you die. Oh shit I was dead. Billy was toast, probably end up being some science experiment for Sig Harrison. God she told me to be careful! Now I know why dad always listened to Cilia and ma, if you don't you end up dead – wait. I felt the sudden pulse of fire that raked through my mind, the feeling of bones breaking, and muscles ripping from their places. Fucking shit I had never felt pain like this. It was worse than anything I had ever felt, I wanted to scream, but I couldn't, I wanted to open my eyes, but they wouldn't, I wanted to rake my nails through something so that the pain would fade slightly. But my body wouldn't respond.

This went on for what seemed like eternity, the pain making me want to scream, wanting to move and hope that the pain would dwindle, if only slightly. I could feel my body changing, I didn't know into what, but I knew something was going on. Jay must have taken my body with him to Sig, they must have made me into some type of monster, keeping me alive so that they could just test their products on me.

Then the pain spiked.

Every bone in my body cracked from place and snapped back as my muscles ripped from place and then returned. The fire that raced in my veins making me want to finally give up and die. My mind – between silent screams of pain – begged for it to finally be over, for the pain to just take me to the next world, at least then I would be able to see my family, my father, Cilia, Morgan.

My mother.

Then it stopped.

The aching in my body faded, the pain gone and my senses returned. I could hear the soft wind from the open window; feel the soft bed sheets that were underneath my form. I could smell the scent of the sand outside. I wasn't taken from the desert, I wasn't a captive of Sig Harrisons and Hawk. Then a scent hit my nose, something I remembered. It was fresh, probably an hour ago, and it made me open my eyes and sit up.

It was Billy.

The blood that rushed to my head had me closing my eyes, feeling feint as I steadied myself, breathing in softly and catching the scent of things I didn't recognize. Beneath my palms I felt the texture of the bedding, soft, yet every strand of fabric had a different feel, some silky, others like the cotton that rubbed against my back. I opened my eyes slowly, at first closing them against the harsh light that came through the open window, and when I opened them again, I almost feinted at what I was seeing. I could see the texture of the wooden walls that I faced, the light that came from the window, the dust as it floated through the air.

I could see the warmth that came off of the blankets underneath me.

'_What the hell?_' I breathed softly, my eyes landing on the skin of my torso. Or I should say, what was formally my skin. Scales similar to that of Billy's own tattoo traced along my chest, back and stomach, the color darker than my counterparts if only by a little, though the marking was almost the exact same. A rattlesnake wrapped around my body, the eye where I was sure I had been shot.

"Yur up." I jumped at the sound of Billy's voice, my eyes shooting up to look directly at her. For some reason though, I didn't fear her as much as I usually did, the way her eyes were slit, the scales that were naturally around her arm, the fang that pushed slightly past her lip. A soft hiss escaped from my lips, the muscles along my arms tightening as I moved to a crouching position, Billy's own stance shifting and her eyes narrowing as we looked at each other.

"What happened?" My voice was deeper than what I had remembered, but then again, almost everything about me had changed. I could tell that I was more muscular, taller and stronger; it's only obvious that my voice would change too. Billy sighed, her eyes casting down to the floor as her form seemed to relax in what I could only describe as defeat.

"My dad didn't know it," her voice was soft, softer than what I had expected, "but the cure 'e made wasn't for the disease dat I had gotten." She stepped toward me, her hands finding their way into her jean pockets as she looked out the window where white light seemed to flow like a river. "He gave me the dose right before I died, my heart finally gave out. All it took was a single beat before the so called cure found its way to my heart." She paused, leaning against the window sill and looking out at the tan colored sand that was our home. "You went through a transformation Jake," I gave her a look, she wasn't making any sense what so ever.

"What transformation?" I asked her, my voice probably showing just how confused I was. She turned, her amber eyes looking into mine, the glare from the window making me suddenly look away, my eyes finding the single mirror that laid in her room. I looked my reflection up and down, and like I had anticipated I was taller, larger built, my clothes torn from becoming too small. My hair was just slightly messier, and my skin a bit tanner, but when I looked into my own eyes I couldn't help but hiss and back away from my reflection. The usual golden-brown that I had for my entire life, the same eyes that belonged to my dead mother was gone, replaced by a glistening gold trapped by a ruby red.

Blood red.

I hit the wall after a few steps, unable to go any farther before Billy was at my side, only then noticing that she was once again shorter than I was, just like before she herself turned years ago. I looked into her eyes as she gazed at mine, she wasn't sorry for me, she didn't pity me. She knew what I was going through. In that one millisecond I knew what she had gone through too, I finally noticed the dark circles under her eyes, the bruises along her arms and chest as well as the cuts and scrapes that had healed into scars.

"Ih didn't know if ya would make it," her voice was a whisper, something that before I wouldn't have heard at all. "When you were shot, Hawk had finally run out 'a bullets, I was able ta knock 'im unconscious." She paused, looking away from me, "When I saw that ya were gonna die any second," her hand clenched into a fist as she turned away, "I injected the dose right inta yur heart, it was the best chance ya had. I got ya into the house and was going ta finish off Hawk, but he was gone by then." She looked down to the wooden floor, I could tell just from the tone of her voice that she was close to tears. "When I came back, ya were already startin' the transformation. I didn't start it for two days after I died before it finally worked, and with ya," Dawn turned back toward me, a soft smile on her face. "What shoulda took three weeks took ya two."

I stayed silent as she stepped back toward me, burying her head into my chest, her hands tracing down the scales that laid there and making a shiver run down my spine at the sensation. I wrapped my arms around her regardless, resting my chin on top of her head and just held her, whispering my unanswered question. "Dawn, what did they want?" Billy didn't move at first, but when she did the tears that were previously in her eyes were gone.

"They wanted the last vial, what I gave you," she looked away again before she continued, "They found the Gatling an' Rail gun though, probably gonna try and reproduce them and sell 'em across da country." I looked past her, to the window again and saw the barn open, the snakes released from their cages and six freshly dug graves and crosses in front of them, the rattlers avoiding them almost respectfully.

"What do we do?"

"What do ya think we do?" Billy almost growled, no she did growl as she gripped the wooden door hard enough it groaned in protest. I looked back out at the graves, my golden-red eyes narrowing and slitting like the snakes that were now my blood brothers and sisters. My hands clenching into fists before I grabbed the black hat Billy had traded me the day I had arrived, the rim dipping down in front of my eyes until I realized that the thing finally fit like it was meant to, the scared eye of the rattlesnake on my chest glowing gold as I spoke.

"We get 'em back."


	8. The Twin Legends

Chapter 8: The Twin Legends

"Come on snake-boy, ya can't hit all six of 'em!" Buford called from across the bar, a laugh passing from him to Wounded Bird to the Rattlesnake, the bar filled with the citizens of Dirt after a long days' work at the pipes. Rango and his wife sitting at the counter, the sheriff looking a little concerned as Jake stood from the back table; an overconfident grin on his face as he shouted right back to Buford.

"If I can't I'll buy the next round!" His voice betrayed his excitement as everyone in the bar cheered at the possibility of the Outlaw buying everyone a drink. Wounded Bird and Buford smiled as the each grabbed three empty beer bottles from the counter, the occupants of the bar moving toward the windows or to the deck while Jake jumped out the cold sand of the night, his white shirt rustling in the breeze as he snatched the Gatling gun from his back and switching the safety off within a single movement. His hellfire eyes looking toward the young Priscilla who was sitting on the bench next to Rango and Beans, the young girl holding onto the black bandana that was around her neck, out of nerves or excitement was beyond Jake, but he remembered that it was something that Billy had once done as well. "Hey, Priss."

"Yes?" The girl perked up as the outlaw kneeled down in front of her, many of the other females in the town attempting to toss a piece of cloth Jakes way but he paid it no mind.

"Could I borrow that?" He asked softly, motioning to the black cloth around her neck, the dark haired girl nodding her head immediately and untying the piece before tying it around Jake's own neck, loose enough so that he could place it where it was meant to go. "Thanks," he whispered standing, a few of the girls in the crowd 'awww'ing at what had just happened while others looked upset at the outlaw not taking their own parcel. "Let's do this Buford!" Jake shouted, jumping back into the middle of the street, the bartender and deputy on opposite ends and both at the ready.

"It's you we're waitin' fer Rattlesnake!" Buford chuckled, watching as the outlaw tossed his hat aside and moved the young girls bandana to cover his eyes, only allowing him to hear the glass bottles being thrown and see the heat handprints that would be left through the thin fabric, the bartender knowing full well that Jake would only be able to see black through the bandana as long as it was night. A smile crept onto the faces of the locals, most especially Spoons and Eglin as Jake gripped his Gatling gun tighter than what he normally did, his knuckles becoming lighter as Buford and Wounded Bird looked toward one another, a soft smile passing between them. The deputy tossed the first bottle, Jake spinning on his heal and firing two bullets that shattered the neck and body of the glass, making the pieces shatter in every direction, some of the locals cheering as Buford threw the second and third. The Rattlesnakes entire body turned in a fast half-circle, Gatling gun firing again and making the bottles explode, many more people all screaming, whether in entertainment or to distract Jake was unknown, but it didn't stop him from catching the next two that were tossed by Wounded Bird.

"I thought this was gonna be a challenge Buford!" Jake snickered, blindfold still over his eyes as he placed the still armed Gatling gun on his shoulder, his form still facing Wounded Bird but everyone could tell he was smiling. Buford grinned, Beans, Priscilla and Waffles all doing the same as the Sheriff suddenly sat straight, his eyes going wide as he came up with an idea that he was sure was going to make Jake mad, but the rest of the town cheer.

"Why don't ya use that revolver on yur belt then Jake!" His words split the crowd in seconds, many of them cheering at the idea that the male had come up with, but Jake almost seemed to pale. The outlaw swallowed whatever was going through his mind, the towns' people going silent as they waited his decision, and with a sudden click and flick of his wrist, the safety was put back on the Gatling gun; the crowd that had gathered going wild as Jake slung the silver beauty back onto his back. Although Rango could see the discomfort that ran through the twenty-five year olds body, Jake's left hand still twitched as he stood still and faced Wounded Bird, no one noticing how his eyes suddenly seemed to almost glow a golden-red color under the blindfold.

It was then that Buford threw the last bottle, Jake's left hand grabbing the hilt of the black and golden colored gun and removing it from the back of his belt as he turned and knelt onto the sand that seemed to glow from the lights of the saloon, his right arm grazing across the top and pulling down the hammer, a click barely being heard as a flash of gold was sent barreling down his arm in such a fashion that Rango and the others could only describe it as lightning before he finally pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang louder than any before, Jake's entire body being dragged back almost an entire foot as the bullet was fired, the shockwaves hitting even the towns people in a gust of wind as the bottle shattered into dust in front of everyone's eyes. The town cheered as a few of the old timers seemed to scowl at the outlaws success even though they too were impressed, Wounded Bird, Rango, Beans and Buford all smiled as Jake stood and removed the bandana that had been around his eyes and slipped it back over Priscilla's head as she ran over to him, Waffles joining them a mere moment later.

"That was amazin' shootin' Mr. Rattlesnake Jake sir!" Waffles exclaimed, his smaller form jumping up and down as he seemed to replay what had just happened in his head over and over. Priscilla however just grinned up at her teacher, her golden-brown eyes full of wonder until he answered her unasked question.

"Rail gun," Jake whispered, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the amount of energy that it took from him in order to even perform a minor version of what his old partner could accomplish without even batting an eyelash. Priscilla's eyes widened slightly at the words, but a huge smile crossed her lips as the towns people reentered the saloon, she and Waffles joining the crowd and leaving only a few of the adults outside. Jake grinned slightly as he watched the young girl leave, his body feeling the effects of what he had just done in a rush of nausea that caused him to sway on his feet, Rango and Wounded Bird the first to reach him.

"Jake?" Rango's words weren't as clear as the outlaw would have liked, "You alright?"

"Yeah," the male whispered, attempting to remove the Sheriffs hand from his arm but instead stumbling back into the larger deputy, Buford and Wounded Bird both placing a hand on his shoulder to steady and support him, until he turned to look their way. He could tell they knew that something was wrong, the way that their hands were holding him, most likely to catch him if he feinted than to keep him steady and upright. "No, not really," he finally admitted through gritted teeth, the Native American helping him to sit on the ground where he immediately put up his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, the edges of his vision blackening as the urge to fall unconscious plagued his body. Rango crouched next to the outlaw as Jake's arms involuntarily shook from exhaustion, his hellfire eyes closing as he attempted to keep his breathing steady and his entire form going pale and cold, the Sheriff and his wife able to see the blue and red veins that ran around his entire body through his skin.

"Do ya need anythin' Jacob?" Buford asked, the younger male shaking his head and immediately regretting the action as a moan of pain escaped from his clenched teeth, Wounded Bird and Rango sitting next to him and placing a hand on his shoulder to let him know they weren't leaving until he was ready. Beans knelt down in front of the man, trying to get him to raise his head enough so she could feel his brow, but she paused as she saw the sudden dark markings that were making their way down his cheeks, not tears but rather scales.

"Jake look at meh," her voice was harsh and commanding, yet it still held the same amount of worry like that of a mother or older sister. At first Jake didn't comply, then he raised his head just enough so that their eyes could meet, chocolate brown looking into the eyes of a predator, small dark brown scales dotting around the outer and bottom edges of the males eyes and then moving back to the top and bottom edges of his ears and hairline, the scar on his left eye covered by the hair that suddenly fell into his face. A growl sounded from his chest and a hiss escaped from his lips as Buford placed a small and fat hand on the outlaws back.

"We ain't gonna hurt ya kid, relax" his words reached through Jake's foggy state of mind, his body almost immediately relaxing and openly leaning against his 'brother' for support while at the same time allowing Beans to feel his forehead, the warmth of her skin making him shudder.

"He doesn't 'ave a fever," she stated calmly, relief clear in her voice, "but we should git 'im inside b'for it gets any colder." Rango and the other males nodded their heads in unison, Wounded Bird and the Sheriff helping the outlaw to stand as Buford walked into the saloon, most likely to get something for the younger male to eat.

"Ih won't be able ta walk by myself," Jake whispered into Rango's ear, his voice betraying the need to still keep his reputation in tact as well as make sure that he won't collapse in the middle of the saloon. The Sheriff and deputy looked toward each other before Rango seemed to come up with another of his ideas, signaling his wife to go into the bar while he quietly spoke.

"Put yur arm over my shoulders Jake,"

"Did ya not here what ih just-"

"Yes ih did," Rango interrupted, knowing full well that Jake was in no condition to snap at him, "I'll get ya to a table so ya can sit until the bar clears, just act like I told ya a funny joke and punch me in the arm when I leave ya there." The outlaw seemed to run over the options in his head before he nodded once, the smaller male getting Jake's right arm over his shoulders before secretly wrapping an arm around the others back, making it look like he was returning the semi-friendly gesture instead of supporting the feared male.

"One thing," Jake spoke softly, his eyes moving to his support system, "What da hell am I laughing at?"

Rango thought over the question for a second before a smile crossed his lips and he whispered into Jake's ear right before they entered through the saloon doors, "That Billy girl ya keep talking about, imagine 'er in an over the top dress."

…

Jake groaned as he laid in the rough sheets of the saloons bedrooms, turning his head away from the harsh light that came through the nearby window. His body ached from the stunt that he had pulled the day before and all he wanted was another few hours of sleep, not to get up and deal with Spoons and Eglin for over eight hours. No, he would probably end up killing someone if he did. Turning onto his stomach the outlaw gave a long yawn, sharper than average canines gleaming in the small amount of light.

"Jake," a louder than necessary knock sounded on the wooden door, the drowsy Rattlesnake recognizing the voice immediately as his so called 'brother', "Jake ya up?"

"No 'till noon!" the outlaw half groaned half shouted, hoping to get at least another hour of sleep.

"Rattlesnake," Beans' voice was harsh like it always was, "It's four."

"I said not 'till-" Jake stopped his shout midsentence, raising his head to look out the window and to the clock-tower that was in view, and just as the female said, it was just a few minutes past four in the afternoon. "Shit!" Jacob shouted while attempting to stand, his clothes from the day before ruffled and wrinkled, his hair wilder than usual. "Give meh a minute."

A chuckle sounded from behind the door, but no one entered the room. Jake rummaged through his bag, finding his last pair of jeans and a no sleeved shirt, the light blue material rough against his bare hands and the white cotton softer than what he had wanted. The Rattlesnake quickly kicking off his slacks and pulling on the rougher fabric, making sure to throw a belt on in the process, the leather brown and gold in the pattern of diamonds. The door opened as Jake slipped his shirt off, Rango Beans and Wounded Bird all seeing the multitudes of scars that layered his form, the rattlesnake scales all duller than usual making the three believe that he was going to shed soon. Jake noticed the change in his scales as well, immediately rubbing a hand over the smaller scales along his eye to get small flecks of skin off and revealing the shining scales underneath, all the while ignoring the itching that was along his back and chest.

"So the snake finally awakes." Beans teased, "I thought rattlesnakes needed ta bask in sunlight fer energy." Jake growled slightly at the remark, the two other males knowing full well he didn't mean anything by it, but he wasn't really in the mood for any funny business, especially if his scales were going to shed within the day.

"I do," the outlaw yawned, slipping on the new shirt over his head and allowing himself to stretch against the tight fabric, the itching in his scales lessening slightly, "but ih can run on reserves fer a few days." His words made the small smile on the Sheriffs face drop as he looked toward Wounded Bird, their eyes meeting in a second before the green haired male looked back at the taller hybrid.

"You gotta take it easy once in a while Jake," Rango's voice was surprising to the Rattlesnake, making the taller male turn and see the same determination that he had seen when the outsider returned after being banished, "we don't need a repeat of yesterday."

"Whatever ya say _brother_," the outlaw hissed, hellfire eyes glaring down at the Sheriff, though the smaller male didn't even flinch.

"I mean it Ranger."

"Don't call meh that!" Jake snapped as Rango said his last name, canines bared out of instinct and his body stepping toward the Sheriff in a way that made him look like a snake ready to strike. However Rango got right up into his face, his golden-green eyes meeting the hellfire that gazed back at him, Beans and Wounded Bird watching the Rattlesnake for a response and what they got wasn't what they expected. Jake backed down, looking away from Rango and out the open window; his eyes seeing Priscilla cross the street, a small hop in her step as she walked toward the saloon.

"I mean it Jake," Rango's voice registered in the outlaws mind, his eyes returning to look back toward the smaller male and walking past him making sure to bump shoulders on the way out of his room. Jake could hear the Sheriff and Beans shouting after him, but frankly he didn't care, all he wanted to do at the moment was shoot something, preferably that green-haired twit.

The angered outlaw didn't notice the people staring at him as he jumped over the stair rail of the saloon and onto the hard wooden flooring below, earning a few looks from the locals before he stormed past, a few small bits of rattlesnake scales appearing along his arms and cheeks earning many startled gasps and a concerned look from the bartender, Waffles and Priscilla from a table near the back. The outlaw slipped out the doors of the saloon quietly, everyone staring after him as Wounded Bird walked down the steps leading upstairs, his and Buford's eyes meeting for a second. The Native shook his head and the smaller and fatter man sighed, looking out the nearest window and seeing the outlaw running down the back streets toward the outskirts of the town in a blur, knowing full well he was using his speed as a hybrid to make sure no one was following him.

Jake reached the abandoned barn in a second's notice, his hands balled into fists and his eyes almost completely ruby red as he slammed his hand into the wooden sides, the wood fracturing and leaving a few of the boards broken with nothing but splinters left. A strangled shout left his throat in the sound of a battle cry he hadn't made in almost nine years; it shook the walls and empty stalls from its volume and intensity, the outlaw dropping to his hands and knees afterward. His breathing was fast and hard and his limbs were shaking from a mixture of anger and confusion, his nails digging into the dirt as he could feel his instincts yelling at him to kill.

"Mr. Rattlesnake Jake?" the soft voice of Priscilla made Jake look toward the open door, her small form looking toward his with soft and gentle eyes. She looked scared, just like the first time he had seen her when he had scared Rango out of town, but not at him.

For him.

"Are ya okay?" Her gentle tone made the anger within the outlaw start to dissipate, his breathing evening out slowly as the small girl took a step into the barn.

"Yeah," Jake sighed, getting his anger under control, "I'll be fine." He gave a soft smile which made the girl sit down next to him on the hard ground, the outlaw laying next to her after a second, his stomach scales soaking in the small bit of warmth that the ground held.

"What happened?"

"It's nothing Priss," his voice was soft as he closed his eyes, "Ya don't gotta worry 'bout that shit." Priscilla nodded her head, keeping silent alongside the outlaw as she looked him over, seeing the obvious discomfort within his stronger form and knowing immediately that it was his scales. "Ya want meh to continue?" Jake's softer voice confused the school girl for a second, never having heard the small sound of regret in his tone before. Though she nodded just the same, noticing how he turned to lay on his back and look up to the rafters of the barn in which they laid.

…

It was dustier than what I remembered, the snakes alongside me and Billy talking among themselves, though I didn't mind listening to them. A year had passed since my and Billy's parents had been killed, a year since I had kissed Billy. A blush formed on my cheeks just thinking about it. She had thought that I had kissed her because I thought that one of us would die, she didn't know I really had feelings for her. So I didn't say anything, our lives were already messed up enough, we didn't need to add a relationship on top of that. Next to me Dawn shifted in the sunlight that came through the damaged roof, the scales on her arm glistening from just having shed it's skin.

"You ready Jake?"

I looked her way, my eyes catching the way her muscles tightened and her breathing sharpened. We had trained for a year to use our powers, becoming rattlesnakes to the core. We were stronger than any human, more intelligent than any of the snakes and creatures in the desert, and faster than the hawks that flew across the sky. I nodded my head, the rattlers around us all looking our way as we stood, Billy leaning down and saying goodbye to a few of them, telling them to be careful and stay safe. I walked over to the farther wall of the barn, grabbing as many guns as I could get onto my belt and slipping a few daggers into my boots for safe keeping, all of my made with the hilt carved in the emblem of a striking rattlesnake. My hellfire eyes gazed out at the town, the local saloon and a few of the shops supporting us when our parents were killed, no one calling the town Neveah any longer, not since the tragedy. I didn't know what the town had changed the name to, the Mayor, John or something, had done it once he had been elected, most likely to no longer have the massacre related to us.

"You coming Dusk?" I turned as Billy called my name, seeing her walking up with our two horses reins in each hand. Her body was covered in hand guns and rifles as I slipped my fathers' gun into the last open holster.

"Yeah," I responded, grabbing Vipers reins and running a hand down my horses' neck before mounting her, Dawn doing the same next to me before we exited the barn. Our horses didn't bring a lot of attention as we trotted through town for most likely the last time, the few hawks above calling our names, not that Billy would understand. She and I could understand snakes, I could also understand hawks. I shook my head ignoring them as we passed the last building, a few of the older workers hammering in a sign as we passed them, Billy turning to look back at the home she had for most of her life, and I at the town I had learned to love, yet hate. The edges of my vision catching the new name of the town painted in a chipping white before Billy and I turned back to the open desert and to our new lives.

"_**Welcome to Dirt**_"

* * *

**Well there you have it, this is all im updating for now, please review, i can't even describe how much they help in writing and inspiration. So i would just like to say thanks to everyone who has supported me though this,**

**love you all,**

**Keltic**


	9. The Protector

**Alright, so here's the thing, in this chapter there will be some italicized conversation, this really just means that it is "snake language" that only Jake and Billy can understand, so now that we have that cleared up, here you go.**

Chapter 9: The Protector

Waffles, Wounded Bird and Jake gritted their teeth together as they attempted to lift the last piece of metal pipe into place, their forms sweating from the harsh sun overhead and the weight that just seemed to increase with every second that they were working. The youngest on his toes just to try and keep some of the weight off of his friends, though even he knew it wasn't much from the way that Jake seemed to be straining himself. Priscilla watched from next to one of the newly installed pieces, keeping a few of the water bottles in the shade with her form.

"Is it just me," Buford shouted from the opposite side of the pipe, his voice strained so that the others on the opposite side would be able to hear him, "Or does this git heavier every inch we raise it?"

"It not just you," Wounded Bird shouted, his and Jake's feet digging into the sand.

"Definitely not just you." The Rattlesnake gritted out, scales starting to form on his arms and chest, not caring if Waffles, Pricilla and Wounded Bird saw, they already had anyway.

"We're good!" Spoons suddenly shouted from his perch on top of the other pipes, he and Eglin having put in the last of the bolts to keep the piece into place. Everyone who had been holding up the pipe immediately relaxing, or in Jakes case falling onto his back and spreading his arms out while just staring up at the blue sky.

"Tired Jake?" Buford asked, stretching his arms above his head.

"You have no idea." The outlaw chuckled, sitting up as Priscilla ran over to him. The small girl sitting next to him as everyone took their breaks before they would have to add another patch job to the pipe system. Waffles and Buford taking a quick snack while Wounded Bird relaxing in the cool mid-winter sun, Jake pat Priscilla's head as he stood and climbed on to the nearby rocks. His eyes looking out onto the desert, clearly seeing the mountains a great distance away in the East. His ears easily caught the movement of sand next to him and he looked down, a smaller old rattlesnake had slithered up next to him, its scales a light brown that reminded Jake of his own.

"_It has been too long Semis Anguis_," the snake spoke, a smile coming to Jakes features as he recalled the name, his tall form offering his hand to the snake that easily slithered its way up his arm and onto his shoulders.

"Haven't seen you in a while,"

"_As it should be,_" the snake whispered, finding a comfortable spot along the males' warmer neck, "_Don't need you looking like a lunatic for just talking to your own kind._" Jake chuckled, his hand rubbing the soft scales of the creatures' belly, the soft hissing that came from the rattlesnake something that Jake knew was a good thing. "_I remember when we had first met; you were very surprised to see me up on Billy's shoulders so casually,_"

"You always did like her better Sev," the male whispered, his voice dropping at the reminder of his partner. "Has she been through here at all since she left?"

"_Once a year, around the same time,_" Sev whispered, "_You are not the only one that misses her half-blood,_" the snake spoke, his rattle sounding softly letting the male know that he wanted to be put down, Jake crouching down and placing the snake down softly. "_You may be human, Jacob Ranger, but you can't deny the snake within you for much longer._"

"Especially since it was your blood that was in the so called cure I was given right Sev?" Jake half chuckled, running a hand down the snakes' rough scales.

"_Exactly,_" the snake chuckled, slithering down the rocks with expert skill and passing the other humans without being seen. Jake once again stood to his full height, his eyes looking up to the sun and easily determining it was about two in the afternoon, he closed his eyes for a second, at least until he heard Priscilla's form slide down the small ditch that was under all the pipes to keep the water that leaked out from running anywhere. He paid it no mind though, returning to just relaxing until they would be needed to get another structure up. A small groan from the metal made him turn from his previous position however, his eyes scanning around what they had just done until he spotted something that made his blood run cold.

"Priscilla move!" The dark haired girl spun at the sound of the sudden loud groan that came from the structure above her, seeing the crack that ran through one of the pipes as it caved in toward her, the crack that shattered it deafening. She closed her eyes, getting ready for the impact that was sure to come but all she heard was the shift of sand, a grunt of pain and a crack of bones. Opening her eyes slowly she looked up to see Jake standing in the way of the falling metal pipe, an arm locked above his head, trapped between the two pieces tight enough that ruby red blood had already started dripping down the limb. One of his sides was pressed roughly against another sharp edge of the pipe, a bruise already forming underneath the torn shirt. The outlaw kept his head down and eyes tightly closed from the pain that was coursing through his system, his right eye opening just enough so that he could look down at Priscilla.

"Y-you okay Priss?" His voice shook from the amount of pain that was registering in his mind, not even hearing Buford, Wounded Bird and Waffles shouting his name. The black haired girl took a second before she nodded her head causing Jake to sigh in relief, his eyes sliding closed once again as he listened to a horse galloping away. "Good," a small drop of blood slowly crawled down the left side of his face, leaving a crimson streak right next to the rattlesnake scales that seemed to glisten against the sunlight that made its way through the wreckage.

"Jake," Buford's voice registered in the Rattlesnakes mind, "come on Jacob stay awake."

"Is Priscilla okay?"

"Mr. Rattlesnake Jake sir?"

"Jacob?"

"Priss," Jake's voice was a whisper compared to the many that were sounding around him, though the small girl still looked up at him anyway, her golden-brown eyes locking with his, "get outa here." To his surprise the little girl shook her head no, and she in turn spoke at a whisper.

"I ain't leavin' ya down here alone," she looked through the cracks of steel at the groups of other men that had already arrived, the Sheriff and a few others almost at the edge of the divot, "Ya saved my life." A smile seemed to creep onto Jake's features at the comment, his eyes closing again as he heard the sand next to them shift, the sudden breathing near the small entrance to his and Priscilla's prison becoming louder until it turned into the voice of the Sheriff.

"Jake, Priscilla, you two okay?"

"Priss is fine," the Rattlesnake shouted, a grimace on his face as blood continued to drip down his arm.

"What about ya Jake?" Buford's voice came through the small opening, the clear concern making the outlaw chuckle softly.

"His arm's trapped 'tween the two pieces," Priscilla spoke before the male could stop her, "I think 'is rib's broken too and 'es got a small gash on his forehead." Jake could hear the small swears that were said, even from Spoons and Eglin, though that was probably because they had more work to do.

"Jacob," Doc this time, "Can ya still feel yur hand?"

"Yes," the outlaw growled, Priscilla looking at him worriedly, "And it just so happens ta be VERY PAINFUL!" His shout reverberated around the metal that surrounded them, the males ears ringing from the intensity.

"What about yur-"

"My ribs are fine now get Priss out 'a here!" The small girl glared in protest, though Jake didn't look her way. There were a few soft hums from the others outside before Waffles poked his head in through the small opening.

"Come on Miss Priscilla," the dark haired girl looked from the other child-like adult to the man who had protected her, grabbing Jakes hand for a second before ducking her head and crawling out. Jake sighed in relief when he heard Doc immediately start fussing over the young girl, Rango and a few of the others making sure she was okay before he heard another voice.

"Jake," Beans this time, "We're gonna lift each side 'a the pipe, try and get yur hand out,"

"If ya need us to stop just let us know," Eglin's voice surprised Jake greatly, though he didn't question it as he started to feel a few of the people nudging the metal trapping his arm up. Jacob grit his teeth together as he felt some of his skin being ripped off, the sharp edges of the metal making him whimper in pain, and he knew the others outside could hear.

"Do ya need us ta-"

"Just keep goin'!" the outlaw shouted, cutting off Rango and using his other hand to start prying apart the metal pieces far enough that he could slip his arm out. Blood flowed freely down his arm and dropped onto his cheek as Jake managed to get his arm from the pipes grasp. "I'm out!"

"Hold it!" Buford's shout echoed even though the metal, Jake taking off his looser shirt to cover the still bleeding wound until he got out from underneath the pipe. "Jacob, ya think you can git out?"

"No," the male spoke, loud enough that Buford and the others would be able to hear it, "The opening's to small, and we got nothin' that will cut it," he sighed as he heard the cusses that came though the small opening. A voice joining it in a whisper that he almost didn't hear.

"Rail gun," Priscilla's voice almost echoed through Jake's head, memories flooding his vision as he remembered what Billy had been capable of doing while she was just learning to use her powers. The outlaw closed his eyes and leaned against the metal piping for a few seconds, hearing others shouting how something wouldn't work, or even kill him.

'_If this doesn't work, I'll be dead anyway._' Jake thought, his voice coming back to him a second later. "Get everyone away from the pipe Rango,"

"Jake what 're ya-"

"Do it!" The growl that came through Jake's voice was evident that he meant what he was saying, hearing the shuffling of feet the outlaw smiled slightly. Placing his uninjured left hand onto the smooth texture of the metal Jake closed his eyes, focusing every bit of energy that he could into what he was about to do. The outlaw felt the tingling sensation that went though his entire body, hearing the static that came off his clothes and the pipe under his skin, and even from under his eyelids his eyes glowed golden as an electric current pulsed through the outlaws body and into the metal pipe. People outside gasping at the way that lightning seemed to dance across the surface before it crumbled to the ground.

"Jake," Priscilla stepped up to the male as soon as she saw him, not caring if it was safe or not. Jake dropped to his knees and hugged the small girl as she reached him, his limbs shaking from the strain and blood loss that was currently staining through the first shirt and into the other one that was still covering his body. The Dirt natives all just stared at the exchange before Wounded Bird, Buford and Rango all stepped forward, Doc in tow as they helped Jake to his feet. Everyone noticing the blood that was splattered down his shirt and the bruise on his left side that was clearly visible even through the thicker cotton, Eglin and Spoons staying silent as the outlaw sat against the closest bolder, allowing the doctor to check him over. The brown haired man quickly patched up the small gash on Jake's forehead before moving to his arm. Everyone besides Wounded Bird and Jake himself looked away at the sight. The muscles underneath the skin were clearly visible, veins were torn open and blood dripped down the remaining skin and scales to drop onto the light colored sand underneath, staining it crimson. Breathing heavily Jake closed his eyes, resting his head against the solid rock until Rango sat beside him, golden-green looking into half lidded hellfire.

"She didn't have a scratch Jake," the green haired male whispered, earning a small grin from the famous Rattlesnake, golden-red eyes gazing to where Priscilla was sitting very impatiently alongside Waffles, both of which were occasionally looking his way.

"Good," Jake whispered, his voice almost unheard as Doc smiled.

"Ya did better den good Jake," Buford said silently, patting the younger male on the shoulder, "Ya saved 'er life." A chuckle left the Rattlesnakes chest, causing him to grimace in pain before relaxing again. Rango placing a hand on the taller males injured arm as Doc stitched whatever pieces were left back together.

"Ain't there any anesthetics that ya can use?"

"No," Jake was surprisingly the one that replied, Doc nodding his head.

"His body 'as adapted ta be more like a rattler," blue eyes looked into flames as Doc looked up, "Even b'fore ya left ya never responded ta anythin' when Billy hurt ya."

Jake chuckled, "Ya remember that?"

"Ih was da one dat got the glass shards out 'a yur back when the little missy pushed ya through dat window." The doctor chuckled, starting to wrap the badly torn limb in off-white bandages, "If ya recall," he motioned to the large chunk missing from his ear, "Miss McCarty did this when ih was stitchin' 'er up after one a yur many fights."

"I remember dat," Jake sighed, leaning back against the boulder while allowing his eyes to close, "somthin' stupid started dat argument."

"Ih believe it was about how ya can handle more drinks den her."

"Was I right?"

"Nope," Rango and Buford laughed at the exchange between the two, watching how delicate Doc was being toward the Rattlesnake, and it wasn't just because Jake could shoot him at any second. Rango had learned that Buford and most of the others moved to Dirt after it had been renamed. Though Doc was one of the few that hadn't, many of the original families having moved away after the incident that had taken place on the outskirts of town where the graveyard now was. The center revolving around six unnamed graves.

"Alright Jacob, lift yur shirt." Doc said quietly, the outlaw opening his eyes just long enough to sigh in defeat before doing as he was told. Buford, Rango and Doc all knew upon seeing the large bruise on the outlaws' side that a few ribs were cracked. Though, when Doc felt around the injury, they were back in place. "Jake," his voice was a whisper, "What did you do?"

The outlaw opened his eyes, hellfire looking back into sky blue, "Ya already 'no what ih did Doc." The brown haired male sighed, shaking his head as he backed away, a whisper on his lips that only Jake could hear.

"You and yur god damned speed healing," One of Jake's rare sincere smiles graced his lips as Doc, Rango and Buford helped him to his feet, the outlaw keeping his arm securely around Rango's shoulders for support as his exhausted form swayed slightly. Wounded Bird grabbed the Rattlesnake's other arm, securing him better as they helped him get onto the wagon that Doc had brought as a just in case, obviously knowing that Jake wouldn't be able to ride his horse or walk back to town. Priscilla and Waffles were already sitting on the back when Jake finally sat on the edge of the wooden trailer, using only his arm as he pulled himself onto the wagon slowly, Beans sitting in the front, her eyes soft and gentle as she looked toward the outlaw and noticing how he kept his left wrist in his lap protected from being hit by anything.

"Mr. Rattlesnake Jake Sir-"

"Ya can call me Jake Waffles," The outlaw spoke softly, his form turning to look toward the smaller, and slightly younger male, Jake's eyes gentle despite the fact that the blood red flames still lapped that the edges. "Just Jake," Priscilla smiled at the exchange, Waffles, Rango's and a few other people's jaws dropping in the process, "No brother I don't 'ave a fever," the Rattlesnake chuckled, turning to see the dumbfounded look on the Sheriff's face, though it quickly faded into a soft smile as he too jumped into the wagon.

"Let's get you home Jake."


End file.
